Society

Emancipatory Pedagogy

One of the primary schools that was visited during the research project. Due to the lack of a proper building the children have to eat their mid-day meal in the open air. (Photo: Insurgentscripts)

SOUTH ASIAN UNIVERSITY | In recent year, the Indian education system has been undergoing an extensive neoliberal transformation. Today, almost one third of all student attend private schools. In order to develop viable alternative methods of education, RLS collaborated with the South Asian University (SAU) on a pilot project for the development of an alternative curriculum. This project has been concluded in 2015, but other collaborative projects with SAU continue.

The study drew insights and ideas from various thinkers of alternative education, from Gandhi and Paulo Freire to Marxist theories. In order for these ideas to become effective, it was crucial to sensitise the teachers themselves so that they can experience their own role from a political understanding. Over the range of a year, they participated in a series of workshops conducted by experts on the field. The collectively developed curriculum was based on the local context of the school for which it is developed. The pilot project was closely monitored and the outcome analysed by researchers from SAU. This ensures that the exemplary process can be adopted by other schools in future and thus will contribute to a broader change in the field of education in India today.

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The South Asian University is an international university established by the eight member nations of the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC): Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The university, which is based in Delhi, provides research and postgraduate courses ranging from social sciences and law over economics to biotechnology and computer science. For more information on the education ensuing publications, please visit Insurgentscripts.