The LiftEd Annual Convening, hosted by the British Asian Trust, brought together leading voices in Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) to discuss on-ground realities, policy insights, and financial innovations that can transform learning outcomes in India.
Key Takeaways:
🔹 Community-Driven FLN Initiatives Matter
Several successful models emphasized the role of families, teachers, and local communities in driving early education outcomes. Himachal Pradesh’s Pehli Shikshak - Maa program, for instance, recognizes mothers as first teachers and integrates them into structured learning processes. Similar efforts across states are showing that a bottom-up approach is essential for meaningful FLN improvements.
🔹 Financing Education through Outcome-Driven Models
Traditional funding mechanisms often focus on inputs rather than actual learning outcomes. Innovative financial tools, such as Development Impact Bonds (DIBs) and Social Impact Bonds (SIBs), ensure accountability by tying funding to measurable improvements. The Educate Girls DIB, for example, has demonstrated success in improving girls’ enrollment and literacy rates in underserved communities. Such models can scale FLN efforts sustainably while ensuring efficiency.
🔹 The Role of On-Ground Educators & School Leadership
One of the most inspiring aspects of the convening was hearing from teachers, education officers, and grassroots changemakers. Effective school leadership—driven by collaborative planning, constructive feedback loops, and informal peer learning—can significantly enhance classroom outcomes. Examples like Delhi’s teacher mentorship model and Maharashtra’s decentralized school improvement plans highlight the need for capacity building at the ground level.
🔹 Decentralization of Public Education Spending
Prof. Karthik Muralidharan made a compelling case for decentralizing education budgets to improve governance and efficiency. He noted that in China, over 50% of public expenditure is managed by local governments, whereas in India, this figure is a mere 3%. Strengthening local administrative control and leveraging Level 0 administrative data can drive more responsive and context-specific policymaking for FLN.
🔹 Technology & AI in FLN
With the rise of EdTech and generative AI, there is enormous potential to personalize learning, address teacher shortages, and bridge literacy gaps. However, financing challenges persist—especially in ensuring these tools are equitably accessible to students in low-income and rural settings.
At Desai & Associates, we believe that education financing, impact-driven investments, and policy innovations are key to achieving India’s FLN goals. Learning from initiatives across India and beyond, we aim to contribute to scalable, high-impact solutions that ensure every child has access to quality foundational learning.
Grateful for the insights and connections from LiftEd and looking forward to translating these learnings into action!
🚀 LiftEd has reached 3.3 million children in #India across 15+ states!
To showcase our impact and progress, we hosted ‘LiftEd: Making India NIPUN’ in #NewDelhi India. We brought together an audience of 200+ and featured a fireside chat with Professor Karthik Muralidharan, thought-provoking panels, and stories of transformation.
We highlighted how innovative initiatives like #LiftEd can support India’s education goals, in alignment with the government’s NIPUN Bharat Mission to achieve universal Foundational Literacy & Numeracy.
Swipe for event highlights and learn more here https://lnkd.in/eSeWSJWP
