Prabhati Vehra, a dedicated academician with 21 years of experience who has made a significant impact as the Cluster Resource Centre Coordinator (CRCC) for the Gopal Sagar cluster in Dhenkanal, Odisha. Taking on the role during the challenging COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, she focused on upgrading the infrastructure of all 10 schools in her cluster. By utilising available grants, she improved classrooms with better lighting, ventilation, clean toilets and safe drinking water, ensuring a conducive learning environment even while schools were closed.

As students returned, Prabhati placed a strong emphasis on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN), recognising its importance for early learners.

She explains, “Children learn to hold books, read, pronounce and write until Grade 3. After that, they can study on their own. So, FLN becomes vital for one’s growth.“

This belief shaped her curriculum focus, ensuring that young learners have the necessary skills to continue their education with confidence.

She also recognises the importance of continuous monitoring and improvement. She led a shift from traditional annual assessments to a more effective monthly assessment system. Teachers now complete weekly assessments, with the results feeding into a comprehensive monthly report. This system allows Prabhati and her team to closely track each student’s progress. Based on the data, revision classes are organised for students who need extra support.

In addition, Prabhati also prioritises Monthly Cluster Meetings (MCM), which offer teachers the opportunity to discuss the use of Teaching Learning Materials (TLMs) and address challenges collaboratively.

“We meet weekly, sometimes physically and sometimes virtually, to discuss the use of TLMs by teachers and the challenges they face in the process. This helps with identifying Grade room challenges early and finding solutions collectively,” she says.

Through these efforts, Prabhati has transformed her cluster’s educational environment, improving both teaching practices and student outcomes. Her commitment to continuous improvement and professional development has contributed to building a more effective and responsive education system for her students.