Mumbai: Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited (KMBL) today announced the launch of “Kotak Digital Learning Solutions” (Kotak DLS) to provide free online & offline education to Class X students studying in underserved localities of North-Central suburbs in Mumbai as schools continue to remain shut ever since the COVID-19 pandemic hit India in March 2020. KMBL’s CSR Project on Education & Livelihood – Kotak DLS, is being implemented by Kotak Education Foundation (KEF). The Hon’ble Minister of Education, Government of Maharashtra, Prof. Varsha Gaikwad distributed tablets with curated academic content for class X students of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vidyalaya, Dharavi supported by Kotak Education Foundation.
Around 7,500 tablets that are being distributed under Kotak DLS are curated with content in vernacular medium mapped for Std X students as per the Maharashtra State Board curriculum. This will help students prepare well for their Secondary School Certificate (SSC) Board exams for the Academic Year 2021-22. The devices are being given to students and teachers from 71 schools operating in localities such as Deonar, Govandi, Chembur, Sion and Dharavi in Mumbai.
The Class X syllabus content is provided by Sundaram E-Class. Additionally, KEF has developed, curated and digitised in-house academic content such as quizzes, memory techniques, question and answers to further extend support to students and teachers. KEF also conducted ed-tech training for around 6,000 head-teachers and teachers of partner and non-partner schools to build their capacities for sustainable digital teaching and learning practices.
Rohit Rao, Joint President & Group Chief CSR Officer, Kotak Mahindra Bank said, “From the time the COVID-19 pandemic hit India and schools were shut, Kotak Mahindra Bank has been working with Kotak Education Foundation to find a solution to ensure continuity of education and mitigate the learning loss for students from KEF partner schools. Last year, we did a pilot project on digital learning in Deonar in the form of Kotak Education Initiative (KEI) TV to provide fun-based learning to children through television. The learning from KEI TV helped both teams at KEF and Kotak Bank to develop the Kotak DLS Project, which adopts a multifold approach combining online & offline education.”
Dr Ganesh Raja, CEO, Kotak Education Foundation said, “After the conclusion of the KEI TV Pilot Project in October 2020, KEF did a survey in Deonar and Govandi localities where the Foundation has been primarily working over the past 14 years. The survey findings indicated that about 18% students of the monitored sample had no access to smartphones and even amongst the remaining, over 40% of students were unable to attend online classes being conducted by schools. We realised the need to support students with digital devices and solutions to ensure that they continue to receive their school education from home. The curated tablets under the Kotak DLS Project is an interactive mix of online and offline learning modules that can be extended to digital class-rooms at schools.”
Kotak Karma is the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) identity of the Kotak Mahindra Group.
