CSR In Education Sector

500 students share one computer in Niger. Yet they're conducting advanced physics experiments that students at elite schools can't access. The secret? WebAR turning basic smartphones into portable STEM labs. Think about that. In Sub-Saharan Africa, fewer than 10% of schools have internet. Student-to-computer ratios hit 500:1. Yet mobile subscriptions jumped from single digits to 80% in a decade. Students already carry the infrastructure—we just weren't using it right. Traditional EdTech Reality: ↳ VR headsets: $300+ per student ↳ Heavy apps requiring 5G speeds ↳ Labs costing millions to build ↳ Rural schools: permanently excluded The WebAR Revolution: ↳ Runs in any browser, optimized for 3G ↳ No app store, minimal storage ↳ Science scores improving 10-15% ↳ Every smartphone becomes a laboratory But here's what grabbed me: A physics teacher in rural South Africa has one broken oscilloscope. No budget. Her students scan printed markers, and electromagnetic fields pulse across their desks. They run experiments infinitely—no equipment damaged, no reagents consumed. One student told her: "Engineering is for people like me now. The lab fits in my pocket." What changes everything: ↳ Mobile-first matches actual connectivity ↳ Browser-based works offline ↳ Teachers need training, not new buildings ↳ Inequality becomes irrelevant The Multiplication Effect: 1 teacher with markers = 30 students experimenting 10 schools sharing content = communities transformed 100 districts adopting = educational equality emerging At scale = STEM education without infrastructure gaps We spent decades waiting for labs that won't arrive. Now any browser becomes one. Because when a student in rural Africa explores the same 3D molecules as someone at MIT—using the phone already in their pocket—you realize: WebAR isn't shiny technology. It's a quiet equaliser making world-class STEM education fit into 3G connections and $50 phones. Follow me, Dr. Martha Boeckenfeld for innovations where accessibility drives transformation. ♻️ Share if you believe quality education shouldn't require perfect infrastructure.

Rethinking Access: What Japan’s Mobile Study Buses Teach Us about Education in India In Japan, there is a grassroots innovation: mobile study buses that traverse neighbourhoods lacking libraries or dedicated study spaces for teens. Equipped with WiFi, books/tables/seating, and staffed by volunteer tutors, these buses offer post-school support - especially for students whose home environment may not afford quiet study or who have working parents. Meanwhile, India’s data reveals a troubling trend: according to official figures, from 2014-15 to 2023-24, the number of government schools dropped by 89,441 (an 8 % decline) while private schools increased by ~42,944. Why this matters: Schools are not just classrooms-they are access points: for mentorship, peer learning, supportive infrastructure, safe environments. A reduction in public school infrastructure can translate into lost opportunity for millions - especially in underserved zones. Claims of being a “Vishwaguru” must be matched with inclusive access and innovative outreach. What we can learn from the mobile-bus model: Deploy mobile learning hubs in areas where built infrastructure is weak. Integrate tutoring, mentoring and peer-group study into community outreach rather than rely solely on brick-and-mortar. Provide quiet spaces, connectivity and resource access to students whose home setups may not allow for focused study. Prioritise equity of access, not just numbers of institutions. For leaders in education, policy & industry: It is time to ask: Are we ensuring our youth have the spaces and resources to learn effectively? How can organisations (public/private/civic) collaborate to bring learning-on-wheels or similar outreach to underserved zones? Can we shift our metrics from “number of schools” to “effective access to learning and mentorship”? I believe: the infrastructure we build today must include mobility, flexibility, and equity. Let’s model systems not just for those who already have access-but for those who don’t. #EducationReform #SkillDevelopment #Mobility #IndiaEducation #InnovationInLearning #Leadership

In 2nd grade, before the ADA was passed, my family moved from Florida to California. This relatively simple change in geography determined whether I would attend a school that integrated disabled students or one that segregated them. My personal experience is why I feel so strongly that luck and location should never dictate a child’s right to an appropriate education. However, that’s exactly what will happen if education policy shifts entirely to the states. Under Project 2025, backed by Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, federal oversight of education would be eliminated, leaving the rights of disabled students to individual states. Families who fought for special education services under IDEA and Section 504 federal laws would have to start over, as previous legal rulings would no longer apply. Some states might protect special education, while others could reduce funding, forcing disabled students into classrooms lacking proper accommodations or out of school altogether. Without federal protections, more private and charter schools could legally exclude disabled students. Rural communities would be most affected, losing funding that supports essential services. Access to education would transform into a political issue rather than a legal right, leaving disabled students vulnerable to shifting policies every four years. "Sending education back to the states" purports to prioritize decentralization and efficiency. However, the underlying agenda is the deliberate removal of protections for disabled students. When geography dictates whether a child receives an education, that is not equality; it is systemic discrimination. Curious about what this means for disabled students, their families, and the future of inclusive education? Read more in the article. #AccessibilityFailFriday #EducationRights #DisabilityJustice #ProtectSpecialEd #InclusiveEducation #EqualEducationForAll #Inclusion #StopProject2025 #Disability #SaveDisabledCommunity https://lnkd.in/edUaakTP

#AI and #GenAI will generate economic value and accelerate innovation, but also have the potential to exacerbate existing divides across the globe. As the adoption of AI accelerates, we must expand access to the infrastructure that underpins these innovations: reliable, high-speed broadband, computing power and educational pathways for people to learn how to use and develop AI tools. Thankfully, there are organizations like Student Freedom Initiative (SFI) hard at work on these issues. Despite the rapid proliferation of the internet, over 2.6 billion people still lack access worldwide. In the U.S., 24 million people still lack access to high-speed broadband. Half of all Black Americans live around 70 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), 82% of which reside in broadband deserts, limiting access to crucial resources and information. To help solve this issue, SFI has provided $1.6 million in critical resources to enable HBCU-anchored communities to define their needs, $3.5 million to assist with capturing relevant data, and $800,000 to support grant writing services to apply for funds from federal and state agencies. We must ensure that everyone has access to the education and tools required to harness the power of artificial intelligence. #WEF25

🔎 ICYMI: This week, the Second Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing released its Report—and it includes findings from our global effort to center youth voices in identifying and addressing priority health issues. 🙋♀️🙋♂️ Too often, young people are left out of decisions that directly affect their health and well-being. Together with the Lancet Commission and UNICEF, we launched the Youth Solutions Labs to help change that. We conducted 6 workshops with 120+ young people around the world that sought to co-design solutions to key issue areas. 📍Our process began by mapping the issues that youth had already identified in engagements since 2020. We reviewed studies from NGOs and international research institutions, consulted literature, and used collaborative platforms like Miro to gather feedback from the Lancet Youth Commissioners. 🔬 The result: a data-driven and participatory topic map that identified over 40 youth-prioritized needs. ➡️ Youth subsequently co- developed recommendations across five key areas. Some top-level takeaways (non-exhaustive list): 🧠 Mental and Emotional Health Stigma and low literacy remain barriers. Educational initiatives that involve families and educators can build understanding and reduce prejudice. 📘 Education and Employment More equitable access and future-proofed curriculums are essential, alongside renewed support for lifelong learning. ❤️ Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Comprehensive sexuality education must be expanded, with attention to local sensitivities and intergenerational dialogue. 🌍 Civic Engagement & Climate Youth feel sidelined. Structured programs and policy mechanisms are needed to amplify youth-led action and influence. 🍎 Healthy Lifestyles & Nutrition Schools and communities must co-create supportive environments that prioritize health and well-being. 📚 Explore the initiative and findings: 🔗 Youth Solutions Labs Report: https://lnkd.in/eZ9Hn4rp 🔗 Lancet Commission Report: https://lnkd.in/eH_RwzyW 🙏 Huge thanks to our incredible co-authors Hannah Chafetz, Sampriti Saxena, Tracy Jo Ingram, MPA, Andrew Zahuranec, Jennifer Requejo, Doc Shakira Choonara, Molly O’Sullivan, Luo Li #YouthEngagement #AdolescentHealth #ParticipatoryResearch #Youth #HealthEquity #LancetCommission #UNICEF #ClimateAction #DataForGood #CoDesign #MentalHealth #Education #SRHR #Nutrition

Freeze Pollution, Taste Change. Water pollution is a silent, insidious threat. Easy to ignore amid the hustle of daily life, but it's everywhere... industrial dyes and chemicals seeping into rivers, lakes turning murky with waste, and ecosystems collapse under the weight of human recklessness. It's not just the wildlife or fragile ecosystems at risk... it's the water we depend on. The stuff of life itself. Three students from the National Taiwan University of the Arts decided to confront this crisis in an out-of-the-box kind of way. What began as a graduation project quickly transformed into a striking environmental campaign that gripped global social media... ice-lollies made from polluted water. Not the kind you'd want to lick on a summer day. Their "in-edible" ice-lollies came in a vibrant array of colours, thanks to the industrial dyes and chemicals contaminating local waterways. Many also came with an additional bonus... cigarette butts, dirt, bugs, and even dead fish sealed inside. The three water-popsicle entrepreneurs then elected to go the conventional marketing route by wrapping their lollies in colourful packaging. Labels displayed the water source and its grim contents, leaving no room to look away. Totally transparent. By turning pollution into something tangible—and repulsive—the campaign forced people to confront the damage caused by carelessness. Made water pollution visible, visceral, and impossible to ignore. We're constantly bombarded with images and messages about the importance of taking care of our environment. It's easy to feel overwhelmed and helpless. Amid a sea of environmental messages, this campaign really stands out by blending creativity with confrontation. The lollies are not just objects, they're a wake-up call. A stark reminder that what we discard into nature doesn't just disappear... it lingers, accumulates, and eventually circles back. Effective campaigning doesn't just deliver a message, it creates a moment, a pause, an unease that demands reflection. These polluted lollies d0 just that. So, what do you think? Can design and shock value truly spark the change we need? Or does the real challenge lie in moving beyond awareness to meaningful action... 📷Yi-chen Hong/Yi-hui Guo/Yu-di Zheng/Peter Parks

🌱 NEP 2020 and Inclusion in Preschool Education What does it really mean for children with special needs? For the first time, India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 brings inclusion to the heart of early childhood education. As early years educators, we have both a responsibility and an opportunity to reimagine our classrooms — where every child, regardless of ability, finds a place to learn, grow, and thrive. 💛 ✨ In this carousel, I’ve broken down what NEP 2020 means for: 🔸 Inclusive preschool classrooms 🔸 Early identification and intervention 🔸 Training of teachers and therapists 🔸 Universal design in learning materials 🔸 Family partnerships and accessible infrastructure Let’s move beyond token inclusion and build truly inclusive preschool environments — where support starts early, learning is joyful, and every child is seen. 🌈 📲 Swipe through the carousel to learn more, and let’s continue the conversation: 👉 How is your preschool adapting to NEP 2020? 👉 What support do you think educators need most to include children with disabilities? #NEP2020 #InclusiveEducation #PreschoolMatters #EarlyYearsEducation #SpecialNeeds #ChildDevelopment #EducationForAll #UDL #InclusionInPreschool #CWSN #EarlyChildhoodIndia #Hi5CDC #WhereEveryChildMatters

The secret to learning a language isn’t about how you study. It’s about how you feel: Many people learn poorly   👉🏻 spending hours on vocabulary/grammar 👉🏻 following instructions, exercises & apps 👉🏻 reaching a plateau and getting frustrated   Linguists can tell you   👉🏻 Languages are about communicating, not speaking correctly 👉🏻 Everyone has their own best style of learning. 👉🏻 You learn most effectively when you’re “present”   Every method has something to offer. But you’ll learn faster and better when you: 👉🏿 Embrace immersion and mistakes. If you can’t spend time in country, surround yourself with a language-rich environment: TV, podcasts, conversation partners, exchange apps, social media accounts, online fora. Write daily journal entries or posts. Change your phone settings. Solve problems, complete real tasks imperfectly. 👉🏿 Make it fun your way Use what you love: News videos? Soap operas? Social media? Movies? Podcasts? Audio books? Lessons? Group lessons? Social activities? Sport? Comedy shows? Support networks? Hobbies? Events? Language challenges? What’s enjoyable? Brainstorm and learn with AI. 👉🏿 Fall in love with the culture Explore all that intrigues you. Ethnicities, histories, music, cuisine, pop culture, youth trends, regions, hierarchies, families, art, entertainment, traditions, ideas. 👉🏿 Work in an environment that lifts you up and gives you energy Dive in and get things done using your new language, however badly. Make mistakes and laugh at yourself. It's not what they taught at school. It took me time to change. Once I did, it helped me improve my Thai, Spanish, Korean and other languages. What’s your best tip? #diplomacyforall

'In England over 1.57 million children and young people are identified as having special educational needs (SEN), over 17% of all pupils. The most identified needs are associated with Autism, Speech Language and Communication (SLC), and social, emotional and mental health. This group of children and young people are more likely to have experienced high levels of isolation, exclusion, and bullying'.... 'existing research indicates that having a Special Educational Need or Disability (SEND) can lead to increased risk of being criminally and/or sexually exploited within the UK' This is the final of 3 reports focusing upon #modernslavery by Modern Slavery and Human Rights Policy and Evidence Centre and focuses upon children and young people with SEND. As with most forms of #humanrights exploitation and abuse the most vulnerable in society are at the most risk of exploitation or least able to find support or a positive solution. They often have no voice or are not listened to. The report highlights that there is a paucity in data being formally collected and analysed: 'anecdotal evidence from our previous study suggests anywhere between 50- 80% of children and young people identified as experiencing exploitation, on practitioner caseloads, have some form of SEND' The report makes a series of recommendations that could be taken to provide support, raise awareness / training and to minimise common aspects like children and young people being isolated, the following relate to Department for Education: '1. All recommendations below indicate an urgent need for joined up government policy and approaches to modern slavery and harm to children and young people with SEND, more inclusive educational policy and an urgent need for implementation of improved support and additional resourcing for children and young people with SEND. This would support school leadership to implement the recommendations within their settings. 2. The Department for Education need to support all school leaders to have the resources, scope and guidance to create more inclusive, open spaces conducive to creating cultures of conversations which create important sites for early help and preventative intervention to address child exploitation. 3. The Department for Education needs to reduce the use of restrictive practices such as isolation through updated guidance of Reducing the need for restraint and restrictive intervention (2019) and its extension to mainstream educational settings. 4. The Department for Education needs to recognise that exclusion is a safeguarding concern and requires a multi-agency response, recognising that prevention via inclusive school policies is a protective factor. This needs to be recognised within safeguarding policies and guidance.'

Knowledge is power.  Yet they generously share it. A quarter billion kids aren’t in school. Most live where teachers are missing, not lazy. These women? They build the tools to change that. 📌 Priya Lakhani, OBE Builds AI that learns how every student learns. Merges neuroscience with tech to personalize learning. Her tools lighten teacher load, deepen student focus. From UK schools to refugee camps, her reach rewires access. 📌 Cynthia Breazeal, PhD Taught robots to read faces before we read code. Builds AI that listens, learns, and emotionally connects. Her tools bring AI literacy to classrooms worldwide. She’s turning tech fluency into everyday human power. 📌 Julia Freeland Fisher Redraws learning as a web of real-world connections. Links students to mentors, careers, and social capital. Her research reframes education as network-building. Equity grows when opportunity isn’t left to chance. 📌 Kristina Ishmael Designs tech policy that centers equity, not just access. Bridges classrooms and government with inclusive strategy. Shapes how AI meets public schools and real students. She makes sure no learner is left behind by design. 📌 Kathryn Parsons, MBE Cracks open code so anyone can speak tech. Trains workforces in AI, data, and digital thinking. Her mission: no one left behind in the tech shift. She’s building fluency, not just skills. 📌 Auditi Chakravarty Funds bold ideas to fix learning at its roots. Backs research that lifts Black and Latino students. Centers equity in every dollar and decision. Her work turns data into justice for classrooms. 📌 Rebecca Winthrop, PhD Designs learning for kids displaced by crisis. Builds tools that work in war zones and beyond. Advises leaders on making education truly global. She brings school where the world forgot it. 📌 Srishti Bakshi Walks across India to teach digital skills to women. Builds grassroots programs that train and empower. Blends tech, safety, and soft skills for resilience. Her classroom starts where the Wi-Fi ends. 📌 Christine Fox, M.S. Designs learning that adapts to every kind of mind. Champions tools that meet students where they are. Makes classrooms work for all bodies and brains. Her vision: access isn't optional—it's built in. 📌 Jomayra Herrera Funds the future of learning, one startup at a time. Backs tools that scale access and close gaps. Brings capital to where equity meets innovation. She invests in what school could be. 📌 Safeena Husain Mobilizes villages to bring girls back to school. Uses tech and data to track every learner’s path. Her model funds outcomes, not promises. She makes education a community mission. 📌 Kakenya Ntaiya, PhD Built a school where girls become leaders. Blends STEM, rights, and resilience in every lesson. Fights child marriage with education and hope. She’s rewriting futures from the chalkboard up. Schools may fail. Systems may stall. They? They build futures. How would the future look if all kids had the right to learn?