Learning Delight making process of learning fun
Learning Delight is using modern technology to make the process of learning fun for both students and teachers
Technology and education are a great
combination if used together with the right reason and vision. But the sad
reality is that technology is touching only urban lives. Lack of teachers, lack
of interest, poverty, gender discrimination, lack of infrastructure and old
methodologies of teaching are some of the reasons which are holding back
progress in rural education.
Learning Delight, a start-up in the rural
education space, is trying to change this. It is leveraging modern technology
to make the process of learning fun for students and teachers in rural and
semi-urban areas. Starting with five schools four years back, it is currently
functional in over 8,000 rural government schools spread over 11 districts of
Gujarat. “The most unique feature is that it starts at the bottom of the social
pyramid, targeting the rural and semi-urban areas,” says Harshal Gohil,
founder, Learning Delight.
Back to basics
Having grown up in the small city of Bhuj in
the Kutch district, Gohil always had a deep connect with rural India. While he
later moved to Mumbai for higher studies, graduating with a bachelor’s degree
in biotechnology from Pune and pursuing a business degree at Nirma University
in Ahmedabad, memories of his early education years stuck with him. And what
struck him most was the marked disparity in the quality of education between
rural and urban areas. This observation is what eventually prompted him on his
entrepreneurial journey. He met his friend and partner Vandan Kamdar during his
MBA days, and together they established Learning Delight, with a grand vision
of bringing a sense of equivalence in how students experience education,
irrespective of the school they go to, in any part of the country.
“The idea behind this venture is and has
always been to provide digital learning tools that can aid teachers and engage
students in the rural and semi-urban areas. Simply put, we wanted to put the
‘delight’ back in the process of learning. In 2014, we were joined by Parinita
my wife, as vice-president, marketing, who shared our sentiments and helped
accelerate our operations,” says Gohil.
Gohil was aware of the acute differences in
the way the same course curriculum was being delivered across city and village
schools. “Further exploring this basic difference, when I went and spoke to
rural educators to understand the challenges they face, during my MBA days, is
what led to the genesis of Learning Delight. This is why we decided to make our
product more region-friendly and ensured that the software was available in the
regional language and could be accessed despite lack of internet connectivity.”
Smarter way to learn
The Learning Delight management team believes
that grades and high scores are not an accurate measure for what a student is
learning. “At Learning Delight, we have incorporated alternative teaching aids
such as animation, riddles, puzzles and stories that are aligned to support
teachers and enhance the quality of student engagement—based on state board
curriculum—making prescribed textbooks fun and easy,” he says.
What also sets Learning Delight apart, in
Gohil’s opinion, is that it has a very inclusive approach to rural education.
“We encourage the involvement of non-government organisations in the area. We
aim to empower schools in rural areas so we don’t expect them to pay for the
software. Instead, we appeal to corporate-run CSR initiatives and individuals
with a focus on philanthropy, and that is where we generate revenues from.”
Enterprises such as Transpek Industries, Adani Foundation, Excel Crop Care,
besides some individual donors, have helped scale up the project. “This year,
we have partnered with Rotary International, Rotary District 3051 and 3060 to
spread the Learning Delight project further,” says Gohil.
Gohil believes that digital education is the
norm for the future. “Our journey in transforming rural education in India, has
only just begun,” he says, summing up the prevailing mood at his venture.
Regards
Pralhad
Jadhav
Senior
Manager @ Library
Khaitan
& Co
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