QUEST Alliance: Linking Learning with Livelihoods for India’s Youth

Basavaraj S. Horatti, Honorable Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, Karnataka launching the Group Teaching and Learning Software produced by Education Development Center, Inc., a QUEST partner. Photo Credit: EDC

India has one of the largest populations of youth in the world. “Education for all,” a foremost development goal for the country, is central to realizing the potential of these youth. Still, at least 8 to 10 million children are out-of-school, and a dearth of resources limits educational quality across a vast public school system. A public-private alliance is drawing together educational innovators and technology leaders to improve the quality of teaching, motivate children to complete school, and ensure that skills of young persons meet the needs of India’s emerging economy.

The Quality Education and Skills Training Alliance (QUEST) partners Indian and American technology corporations with NGOs that understand the needs of marginalized youth. The partnership, facilitated by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), focuses on the continuum of youth development – from early learning to livelihoods – using technology as the medium.

“India’s biggest asset is that it is young, hungry and curious,” said Sabyasachi Das, of Pratham, an Indian NGO known for its Computer Aided Learning effort in slum schools that assists students and teachers with IT tools.

“Quality education is a major business opportunity. The alliance allows us to match corporate interests and resources with educational needs. It is a win-win for youth,” he explained.

The origins of the partnership began with USAID seed funding for selected educational technology projects – from workshops linking education to workforce preparedness to distance learning options that enhance teacher and student performance. It now operates as a full fledged alliance demonstrating the use of cost-effective technology tools to improve educational results and show potential for “scale-up” in underserved urban and rural settings.

Private partners include such IT giants as Microsoft, WIPRO Technologies and Lucent Technologies. Other partners – the Azim Premji Foundation, Community and Progress (CAP) Foundation, Dr. Reddy’s Foundation, the Education Development Center, the International Youth Foundation and Pratham – are known for implementing community based models that attract and retain at-risk children in school settings and provide job- related skills training for unemployed youth.

The CAP Foundation is a long-time advocate for education and life skills training for India’s poor and vulnerable. Under QUEST, it is working with Microsoft to develop and roll out a digital toolkit for workplace readiness aimed at youth rescued from or at-risk of trafficking.

Students from Maharashtra in a computer hardware training vocational class supported by Pratham, a QUEST partner. Photo Credit: Pratham

“USAID is a venture partner. Through QUEST it challenges us to take on higher risk projects,” said Nalini Gangadharan, Chairperson-Trustee, CAP.

“The alliance gives partners a place to park ideas and serendipity happens. Microsoft had never thought of targeting computer skills training to victims of trafficking until the alliance brought our organizations together,” said Gangadharan.

For an NGO such as CAP, the benefits of working with a large corporation are sometimes unexpected, and more than program-specific.

“Microsoft gave us the confidence and mindset to think big, which will ripple through all of our efforts,” said Gangadharan. “The partnership is a dynamic platform for people, projects and ideas…to motivate us to think out of our respective boxes,” she added.

Das of Pratham reinforces these sentiments: “QUEST’s advantage is the germination of ideas through the sharing and visioning process.”

For Pratham, being part of the alliance widened its focus from targeting the needs of children ages 3 to 14 to including job training for ages 15 to 25. “We are taking our extensive network and resources and applying them to the needs of young adults,” said Das.

“The last years have been about idea development, but the proof is in the pudding. What counts is what is delivered on the ground,” Das said.

“I am convinced that it is our job to create the platform, get out of the way and let the natural curiosity of children take over,” said Das.

For more detail on QUEST efforts, visit http://quest.eeaonline.org