‘School in a Box’ Initiative

Source– This post on ‘School in a Box’ Initiative has been created based on the article “Flood-affected children to soon get ‘school in a box’” published in “The Hindu” on 21 June 2024.

Why in the news?’

Flood-affected children in Assam will receive a ‘school in a box‘ in model relief camps across the state.

About ‘School in a Box’ Initiative

1. About: Children in flood-affected areas of Assam will get a ‘school in a box‘ to keep their education going. This plan is for 167 relief camps in the state, where floods and landslides have caused 31 deaths since May.

2. Goal: The goal is to help children deal with the trauma of losing their homes or family members.

3. Focus: The focus is now on children aged six to 18, not just those under six.

4. Most areas in Assam have at least one relief camp; places with more people have two.

5. Each camp will get a child-friendly space (CFS) kit which is designed by UNICEF. It is updated for children and teenagers aged six to 18.

6. The kit includes notebooks, drawing books, pencils, and other learning materials.

Implementation and Training

1. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) is conducting training for officials and field workers from the Women and Child Development and Education Departments.

2.  Training aims to maximize the utility of the ‘school in a box‘ kits and reduce mental stress among flood-hit children.

3.  Sessions are being held at block and circle levels to equip Anganwadi workers and grassroots stakeholders with the necessary skills.

UPSC Syllabus: Schemes and Programme