by Alisha Asif
I genuinely believe that we, as a country, are at a crossroads that will have implications for centuries (not years). We have the world’s largest young population. Their destinies are inextricably tied to India’s future destiny. So, we need to do more, and move faster.
― Sandeep Rai, Founder, The Circle India
Our Theory Of Change
We believe that schools, after-school centers, and teachers can best enable those dreams. We envision an India that is free of poverty and filled with love. Our mission offers a path to get there, to build a reinvented circle of schools, after-school centres, and teachers that, together, are empowering low-income students to change the world.
The Drive Behind It
At The Circle, we envision an India that is free from poverty and filled with love. Getting there, we believe, will demand a reinvented circle of schools, after-school programs, and teachers that, together, are offering low - income students expanded opportunities to succeed and change the world. Today, a clear call for building great schools in India has shed light on the fact that for most Indian children, there is very little access to 'worthwhile' education. The challenge seems intractable since children who have fallen behind furthest or come from underserved communities are likely to stay behind. If, however, we are willing to re-think the very purpose of education, we can bring that change.
The Genesis
Access to education in its current form, which is based on teaching the right answers rather than inspiring better questions, isn’t enough. The most important and urgent need is to transform education and make it relevant to the 21st century. Expanding access to a broken system won’t help as much as transforming what education is about will. The genesis of The Circle lies in just that. Our schools are going obsolete; they are no longer serving kids for the India that exists. We need to reinvent. We need to prepare kids for the future. And we need to ensure that young people are learning what is relevant, rigorous, applicable, and become more future-ready.
Our Biggest Achievement
Our biggest achievement has been two-fold. Firstly, to bring together an idea, line of thoughts, help people build classrooms not as mere rooms children walk into, but experiences they live in, give it all a shape - and call it the Circle. Secondly, to have found kindred spirits who share our goals, believe in us, and want to commit to reinventing schools in the country. Our children deserve to be entrusted with the opportunity to build a better world.
“I focus on the nature of education and a lot of my work revolves around making education enjoyable, easy and breezy and how THAT can transform their learning experience. But, I had very limited hands-on experience of running a school. And that is what The Circle gave me- hands-on learning and a framework to do just that. And, that made all the difference.”
- Sai, Entrepreneur-in-Residence, The Circle’s Incubation Program
Our Incubation Entrepreneurs
At the heart of all we do, will be our entrepreneurs and their schools who will be held together by common principles and outstanding outcomes. Education isn’t a privilege or a luxury, but a need, and the sooner we believe that, the sooner we evolve and we at The Circle thoroughly uphold this. Can’t wait to bring you our next newsletter and give you more updates!
“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”
― Buckminster Fuller, Systems Theorist, Writer, and Philosopher
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