About the Campaign
According to The State of Global Learning Poverty: 2022, by The World Bank, 56.1% of India’s children are unable to read and understand simple text and numbers by the age of 10. In addition, surveys such as the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2022 and National Achievement Survey (NAS) 2021 also establish that shortfalls in learning start early. Strengthening the foundation of learning in early years is the only way to solve the country’s learning crisis.
Foundation Hai Sahi is Central Square Foundation’s flagship annual campaign on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN), aimed at spotlighting the critical role of strong early learning foundations in shaping lifelong success. Anchored in the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the Government of India’s NIPUN Bharat Mission, the campaign showcases stories of change, classroom innovations and system-level efforts to improve student learning outcomes, helping build and sustain momentum for FLN at both the national and state level.
A Glimpse of Our Work on the Ground
FLN in Action
Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) is defined as the ability to read with meaning and perform basic math calculations by the end of grade 3. It is the critical building block in a child’s learning journey and hence, needs to be prioritized.
In this film, learn about the work being done on the ground in different states of India towards prioritizing and strengthening foundational learning for all children. Progress on the three aspects that are critical for creation of robust learning outcomes for children, namely Teaching Learning Material (TLM), Teacher Professional Development (TPD), and Assessments, has been captured here.
FLN Progress In The States
As per the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, “the highest priority of the education system will be to achieve universal foundational literacy and numeracy in primary schools by 2025. The rest of this Policy will become relevant for students only if this most basic learning requirement (i.e., reading, writing, and arithmetic at the foundational level) is first achieved”.
To this end, a National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy – the ‘NIPUN Bharat Mission’ or ‘National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy’ was launched by the Ministry of Education in 2021.
Watch this film to learn about the progress of the Mission through the voice of state leaders, as they share insights on their respective state FLN journeys so far. Also hear them talk about what lies ahead in the years to come to improve foundational learning outcomes for all children in India.
Buniyaad | A Film on the Foundational Learning Crisis in India
The education system in India is one of the largest in the world. Yet, children are not learning despite attending school. This learning crisis starts early, with challenges surrounding their foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN).
Watch this documentary to learn more about the FLN crisis and how related challenges were exacerbated due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The film also captures the different policy and structural changes that have been introduced by the State to bridge this learning gap, including the NIPUN Bharat Mission.
This film has been made by young filmmakers from Celluloid Film Society, Miranda House under Ciné Impact Film Fellowship run by The Hyphen and supported by Central Square Foundation.
To know more about Foundational Literacy and Numeracy
Download Our FLN Factsheet