Remedial Education in India: A Perspective

We met Ms. Avani Dalal from Spark-A-Change Foundation to understand the need for remedial education in India. Avani is an Electronics Engineer and a passionate social worker who is responsible for mentoring 200 children from low-income communities. SAC is an NGO that provides after-school programmes aimed at bridging learning gaps. Visit the website here. Follow their Facebook page.
When did SAC’s work in remedial education begin?
Avani: I started working in remedial education by accident. I was working for an NGO that had similar programmes and had decided to branch out to Juhu about three years ago. That’s when we decided to create Spark-A-Change Foundation as a separate entity.
Nirmala (co-founder of Spark-A-Change) and I designed the curriculum and continued our journey from there.
What are the programmes that Spark-A-Change offers?
Avani: Spark-A-Change offers a remedial education programme for children who are attending BMC schools or private aided schools. We have children coming from the slum area and also children of helpers, drivers, etc. We teach them Mathematics and English and clear their basic understanding of the subjects. For the higher grades, we’ve started Science classes. We, at SAC, want the kids to pass grade ten and attend college or enroll for vocational courses that will make them financially independent.



What is the need for remedial education in the educational system in India?
Avani: There is a problem in the delivery of education at school levels. We want to wean ourselves out at some point. We want to make sure that five years down the line, our remedial education programme is not required at all. We want to train the teachers on how to efficiently deliver the curriculum to children.
At the school level, there is a learning gap because children are learning by rote. We are trying to break that pattern and tell the children that we are doing school-related work with you, but the format will increase your understanding of the subject.
We have a volunteer-based setup where people from 17 years of age to senior citizens come and help the children study. They help bridge the gap with their skills so that the children can perform better at school.
Atma- What is the importance of volunteers in your efforts to provide remedial education?
Avani: Consistent volunteering, especially those volunteers with an intent to teach, makes a lot of difference to the children. The volunteers actually want to take out the time to impart these skills which makes it more meaningful for the children and increases the quality of education.
In turn, the children want to learn because this rapport with the teachers is not something they might share in the educational system. It’s very important to ensure that the volunteers have adequate knowledge on what they are teaching as well. For us, volunteers are our core support system.
How has the journey for Spark-A-Change been so far?
Avani: We’re like a caterpillar metamorphosing. We’ve been trying to grow and better ourselves. That’s where Atma comes in because it has been getting us to become streamlined and systematic. It’s not been a smooth ride for us, but we’re trying to do a lot of things in a small time span.
How has this journey been for you?
Avani: I’ve never actually looked back to see what I have gained from this experience. I’m only trying to figure out how much I give to this organisation. I’m happy to know that I’ve been able to take a child from grade 8 to college level, get sponsors for her/ his education, and ensured her/ his independence. That gives me the satisfaction that when our own children enter the system, they will have a network of peers from different parts of society. The gap between the grade levels and school types may diminish. Maybe this is just the beginning.
How can people contribute their skills to Spark-A-Change?
Avani: Come and share your time, knowledge, and skills with us. Whether it is teaching them art, language, mathematics, science, or anything else; come and mentor the children. It makes a difference when children see somebody reach out to them. They feel confident to say that we belong here.
Volunteer at SAC by filling out this form.

What is Remedial Education?
The Remedial Education is an instructional programme designed for students who have identified deficiencies in reading, writing, and math. The programme provides individualised basic skills that assist students to achieve expected competencies in core academic skills.
Who needs remedial education?
- Children who have difficulty with reading, spelling and writing.
- Children diagnosed with Specific Learning Disability.
- Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder who are struggling with their studies.
How does remedial education help?
Remedial education addresses the multiple areas that are responsible for ensuring a positive, meaningful and long-lasting learning experience. For a child with writing difficulties, work on eye hand coordination and fine motor skills is required, in order to build the strength and dexterity necessary to hold a pencil appropriately and write between the lines.Children are helped with pre-writing skills and writing using various approaches which appeal to all learning styles (visual, auditory, tactile and kinesthetic). It alleviates boredom, enhances attention and makes learning fun.
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