CSR and the digital push to rural education

Corporates must spare some of their employees who can volunteer to teach computer education to the rural youth

CSR programmes implemented by organisations have been successful in fulfilling the aspirations of many students from remote areas.

Jairam Ganjhu, a 12-year-old tribal student of the sixth standard from a remote village in Odisha, had only heard about a computer, never seen. His poor parents had not even heard of it. Jairam heard about the computer for the first time in the school and came to know that his counterparts in towns were studying on the same. He, therefore, aspired to have access to a computer one day. This is the story of hundreds of thousands of kids living in remote villages, who aspire to learn computers, but do not have access to technology. Also, the increased penetration and use of mobile phones in rural areas has left an aspirational impact on the youth to go digital for multiple reasons—advanced educational information/opportunities and/or for getting jobs or developing entrepreneurial spirit.

Digital has emerged as a powerful catalyst for effecting change, faster communication, networking and making people live in a boundary-less world. Rural areas do not have complete access to technology yet. Inaccessibility to digital education means little access to information and, thus, opportunities. While Jairam got lucky eventually when a company decided to fund a digital education initiative in his school, there are many who still don’t have access to technology-based education.

CSR programmes implemented by organisations like Digital Empowerment Foundation and Pratham Education Foundation with support from corporates have been successful in fulfilling the aspirations of many students from remote areas.

In a country like India, which lacks infrastructure support for basic education in itself, digital literacy is a daunting task. Corporates, governments and NGOs have been devising strategies to bring technology to the doorstep of the rural population. Technology makes learning more hands-on and applicable, thus increasing retention and curiosity among students. CSR programmes on holistic educational support (inclusive of digital literacy) for the overall development of the rural community have shown positive results in rural areas where affordability for basic education itself is a challenge. This encourages them to take up higher education.