Pratham has given over 30,000 young women a second chance to put education first
Girls across India are falling behind. Pratham provides a safe, supportive environment for female school dropouts in underserved communities to improve their prospects for higher education and employment.
Why Girls' Education Matters
The odds are stacked against young women in India. An estimated 4 million Indian girls are out of school. Of those who attend primary school, 80% drop out before reaching Grade 8. In addition, India is home to one-third of the world’s child brides. Whether it’s cultural barriers, socio-economic obstacles or a matter of familial circumstances that have motivated girls to drop out, the Pratham Second Chance program awaits with open arms.
The Program at a Glance
Our year-long program begins with a four-month course in math, language, science, and English to reinforce essential elementary school concepts. Students who perform well advance to the second part of the program, which includes subject-specific tutoring in a supportive network of learning centres that prepares them for the Secondary School examination.
Making Education Compatible With Home Life
Our model allows girls to attend classes at learning sites in or near their villages in the afternoon, once their chores are complete. Students attend classes five days out of the month for intensive learning from subject specialists. In between sessions, tutors guide students through the course material and address any knowledge gaps. Families are not expected to pay the program fees, which makes the program feasible for many more girls to attend.
Our Impact in Numbers
Since 2011, the program has seen tremendous gains: including a 50% increase in the number of dropouts re-engaged in learning and a 30% increase in participant graduation rates. We’ve also tripled our number of centres, so we now have 32 centres connected to 200 learning sites across nine states
