Frugal Innovation in Education: Achieving Big Impact with Small Changes

Why Frugal & Sustainable Changes in Education are a Growing Need

Quality education has been out of reach for many and will continue for a long time. An article published in 2019 reports that only 40% of class 8 students in public schools could do simple division, a skill we expect most kids to acquire before 5th grade. We must figure out how to solve such qualitative issues head-on and implement various frugal solutions to minimise their effects—starting with proper teacher training and in-class teaching material.

Schools are often the only places where children have any guidance in their learning. Hence, equipping schools with the right resources is a crucial step we cannot skip. However, this is a massive challenge as the areas hit worst by this problem often can't afford the essential resources for children’s education. With most of them being in remote areas which hardly get noticed, it is easy for this issue not to cross the minds of many.

The Concept of Frugal Innovation

Adaptability, accessibility, and affordability are at the core of our frugal innovation.

It is all about solving issues with practical and straightforward solutions. In education, this can mean designing practical learning tools and techniques. This thought helped us create our six innovations. These digital tools help with teaching and assessment, creating a more impactful learning environment for children and making it easier for them to grasp concepts and teachers as they experience a reduced workload, empowering them to focus more on teaching. 

Sampark Foundation's Frugal Innovations Being the Driving Force of Change

Our mission is simple- to provide an opportunity for quality education to every child, regardless of location and resources. It was a dream that required innovation and being frugal. These parameters would directly affect accessibility and, therefore, an essential criterion to adhere to. With our six tools and teacher training programs, we could train 6 lakh+ teachers across eight states of India. Our training ensured that teachers could integrate digital tools like Smart TVs, gamified assessment tools, and an AI-driven English-speaking program to teach students the SCERT-based syllabus in a fun and engaging manner. These changes have reached 1.69 crore children and improved their academic scores by 32%.

Conclusion

We believe frugal innovation is never about cutting costs; it is about improving the quality while making it more usable and accessible. By creating and implementing community-driven solutions and creative teaching methods, we have seen substantial improvements in learning outcomes that hold the potential to grow even further.

You can ensure these kids receive a fair chance at growing up to be future innovators. So, join us today by donating just $1 to support a child's education for an entire year Know More!