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A state-run agency in Kerala has developed an innovative mobile application that empowers parents to actively monitor the academic journey of the their children, an official said. The 'Sampoorna Plus' Mobile App, developed by Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE), is expected to help parents of 36.44 Lakh students in 12,943 schools in the state. KITE is the technology arm of the Kerala General Education Department. A recent government order that mandates the use of Sampoorna online management software in all schools, directs to take measures for the enhancement of the software as well, an official statement said here on Saturday. This app has details like student attendance, their academic performance, and evaluation of extracurricular activities which will benefit the teachers, students and parents. The Sampoorna Plus Mobile App, recently launched by state General Education Minister V Sivankutty also has these features, said K Anvar Sadath, CEO of the KITE. T
NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo emphasised the need to find "Indian solutions to Indian problems and not follow European models," for solving children's issues, a philosophy he believes was his biggest challenge during his tenure as the chairperson of the apex child rights body. As he demits office on Wednesday, Kanoongo reflected on how his approach shaped his leadership and the initiatives he spearheaded. In an interview with PTI, Kanoongo said that one of his key challenges was adapting existing child welfare systems to fit the Indian context. Kanoongo critiqued the replication of European models in India and explained, "In Europe, children living with their grandparents are considered part of the extended family. But in our culture, we consider grandparents as immediate family. The challenge was to adapt such systems to the Indian context and give legal recognition to these relationships." Under his leadership, he said the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights .
NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo said he never called for the closure of madrassas but recommended state funding to these institutions be stopped as they are depriving poor Muslim children of education. He said that Muslim children from improverished backgrounds are often pressured into religious schooling over secular education. We advocate for equitable educational opportunities for all children. In a recent report, the apex child rights body, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) raised serious concerns about the state of functioning in madrassas and called for stopping the state funding unless they comply with the Right to Education Act. Responding to the functioning of the madrassas, Kanoongo criticised certain groups within the country for "fearing" the empowerment of the poor Muslim community. "There exists a faction in our nation that dreads the empowerment of Muslims. Their fear stems from the anticipation that empowered communities will demand .
The apex child rights body has raised serious concerns about the state of functioning in madrassas and called for stopping state funding to them unless they comply with the Right to Education Act. In its latest report titled 'Guardians of Faith or Oppressors of Rights?', the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) said religious institutions operating outside the purview of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009 had a negative impact. According to the report, the exemption of madrassas from the RTE Act has deprived children attending these institutions of quality education. While Articles 29 and 30 of the Indian Constitution protect the rights of minorities to preserve their culture and establish educational institutions, NCPCR asserts that these provisions have inadvertently led to discrimination against children in madrassas, who miss out on formal education mandated by the RTE Act. The report pointed out that while the primary focus of madrassas is religious .
Around 54 per cent of parents surveyed do not have an instant answer to their kid's question and 44 per cent have admitted to making up answers on the spot, an Amazon Alexa commissioned survey said on Monday. The survey conducted by market research firm Kantar among more than 750 parents across six cities found that 52 per cent of respondents instantly searched and answered accurately. "The survey reveals that about 54 per cent of surveyed parents often feel that they don't have instant answers for kids' questions. It further indicates that 52 per cent of respondents instantly search and answer accurately if they don't know the answer. What's interesting to note is that 44 per cent of surveyed parents admitted to making up answers on the spot," the survey said. According to the survey, over 90 per cent of parents agree that they encourage their kids to ask more questions to help them continually grow and learn about new things and nearly 92 per cent of parents agree that they learn
The Union education ministry on Monday notified guidelines for implementation of bagless days for classes 6-8 and making learning in schools more joyful, experiential and stress-free. The guidelines, developed by PSS Central Institute of Vocational Education, a unit of the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT), were released on the fourth anniversary of the new National Education Policy (NEP), 2020. The NEP, 2020, had recommended that all students in classes 6-8 participate in a 10-day bagless period. "The idea behind 10 bagless days is to make them an integral part of the teaching learning process rather than an add-on to the existing scheme of studies of education from classes 6-8. It will not only reduce the boundaries between the bookish knowledge and application of knowledge but also expose children to the skill requirements in the work areas, thus helping them to decide the future career path," the guidelines stated. "Every student will take a fun cou
Edtech firm Infinity Learn has increased focus on tapping 6th-12th grade students to expand user base following the government's restriction on physical coaching for those below 16 years, and the company expects to double revenue to Rs 400 crore this fiscal. Ujjwal Singh, Founding CEO of Infinity Learn by Sri Chaitanya, said the new rule that barred coaching centres from admitting students below 16 years has opened a new market for the company which already has a large user base of those preparing for all-India level engineering entrance exam JEE and medical entrance NEET. Singh said that the company expects to double revenue this fiscal to Rs 400 crore with expansion of its business both in India as well as overseas. "The new rule... is actually very helpful for us. Students can stay back home and attend online classes. We are addressing them. That is a new big market which has opened for years and this is the reason we have enhanced focus on grade 6-10," Singh said. The edtech fi
The Indrani Balan Foundation, which has adopted 10 schools established by the army in Jammu and Kashmir, on Friday said it would identify terror-affected families in the Union Territory and sponsor their children's education. The foundation aims to rebuild the lives of children whose education has been jeopardised by drugs and militancy in the Valley, said its chairman Punit Balan. "The Indrani Balan Foundation intends to support the victims of terrorism. Recently, such an incident took place in Rajouri and the children were affected there. All these children who are affected by such incidents, the basic problem they face is that of education. We will identify terrorism-affected families and sponsor their children's complete education," Balan told PTI in Baramulla. Condemning the killings by militants and the devastation they cause to families, including leaving children orphaned, Balan said the foundation became involved because it wished to help these children as much as ...