Launch our School for 400 Children in Rural India

FOREFRONT School Education Project Report

February 8, 2021 (FY20 Q4)

FOREFRONT’s progress toward the completion of its project is divided into two axes: construction/architecture and education. Together, excellent implementation in these two areas will make FOREFRONT School a high-quality educational opportunity for children in rural India who otherwise lack access. In the summer of 2020, FOREFRONT completed the construction of FOREFRONT School in Kolluru, India. As a result, subsequent reports will focus on the support to the school’s inaugural classes of students. 

During this quarter, FOREFRONT school completed its first year and started its second year of classes for the first few cohorts of students entering primary school education. During this period, FOREFRONT has seen consistent quantitative growth and quality improvement in the school. In its first semester, because of the newness of the school to the area and restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, FOREFRONT School had 17 students in regular attendance. In its second semester, FOREFRONT has doubled the number of students in regular attendance to 40. These students represent the Upper Kindergarten (UKG) and first grade. This growth is largely due to parent’s word of mouth in spreading the word to other members of the community.

In FOREFRONT School’s first year, COVID-19 restrictions prohibited students from attending school on campus. Unfortunately, due to the lack of internet access and connectivity, FOREFRONT had to put tremendous effort into making sure its first-year students did not fall behind in the curriculum. At the same time, FOREFRONT teachers and staff noticed that many entering students were already behind where they should have been in their educational knowledge. The reason for this is that many students have not attended school previously due to the lack of primary schools in the area before FOREFRONT school was formed. This demonstrates the importance of the school’s location in providing access to education to those who had none.

Because of the focus on foundational education in literacy, math, and other core subjects, students demonstrated growth in knowledge and behavioral maturity. This includes teaching on even the most rudimentary skills like how to hold a pencil and recognize numbers. Students who previously did not know the alphabet, now know how to spell their names, pronounce, recognize and write. Further, FOREFRONT teachers focused on improving student’s classroom behavior since most students had little to no previous experience in school. As a result, FOREFRONT teachers and staff reported improvement in children’s behavior, motor skills, and respect in the classroom. Even more, children are slow to want to go back home because they are enjoying their classes so much.