By definition, a budget is made within constraints posed by revenues. But it can create a framework that encourages others to step in where the exchequer can’t.
In that context, are Corporate Social Responsibility funds realizing and achieving sustainable social change to benefit the underserved? The answers are mixed. Let’s look at education, a stated priority of most CSR entities. In reality, funds are often deployed in a one-off, short-term and inputs-oriented manner, like the adoption of a few neighbourhood schools. This fragmented approach has had minimal impact on the state of public education across the country. So, how could CSR funds significantly step up the game? Here are just two of many opportunities that exist.
State-wide transformation of government schools The bold and visionary “systemic change” initiative underway in Haryana is a great example.
The state has launched its Quality Improvement Programme (QIP) in all 15,000-plus government primary schools in the state serving 22.5 lakh students, with progress measured by positive changes in learning level outcomes. A long-term, integrated and comprehensive effort, it started with a strategic blueprint developed by the top leadership of the State for a multi-year, multi-stakeholder project to bring about systemic and sustainable improvement. The state wisely avoided the common tendency of ‘handing over’ a few schools at a time to different NGOs, foundations or CSR entities. Unlike drilling tube wells or paving a stretch of road, education quality cannot be sustainably improved one school at a time without engaging the entire state machinery.
In Haryana, a completely revamped governance process has institutionalized data-driven accountability up and down the education hierarchy, introduced scientific learning level assessments of students, implemented a Management Information System (MIS) to deliver actionable data to teachers and administrators while freeing up time to focus on actual teaching, rolled out large scale remedial to close learning gaps and revamped teacher training institutes (DIETs) to produce skilled teachers. CSR funds need to support this type of fundamental transformation of education systems across the nation.
Partnership Schools Fund The concept of Partnership Schools – turning around struggling government schools with falling enrolment by enlisting high quality NGOs to provide school management – has been tried successfully in pockets to deliver quality education, reversing the outflow and prompting the return of students back to these government schools (some have waitlists!).
CSR funds can respond to growing interest in this model through an aggregated national fund that is professionally managed to expand such public-private partnerships (PPP).
Such a fund would attract top quality school operators from India and abroad, collaborating with state or city governments to provide a scalable, quality education option. To promote such partnerships, the Education Alliance has been established by a coalition of strategic funders to provide a “best-practices” framework for governments and NGOs.
A PPP fund would allow CSR to avoid multiple, relatively fragmented donations and instead deploy money strategically to support an important national movement.
The author is Country Director, Michael & Susan Dell Foundation.
Published - February 27, 2016 11:30 pm IST
