Noida, Uttar Pradesh, May 17, 2025: The American India Foundation Trust (AIF), in collaboration with Ericsson, has completed the first phase of a digital education initiative aimed at improving access to STEM learning for students in government schools in Uttar Pradesh. The project has reached over 12,500 students across 50 schools in the districts of Hapur, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Buddha Nagar.
Implemented under AIF’s Digital Equalizer program, the initiative focuses on addressing the digital and gender divide in education through technology-enabled learning. Five STEM Innovation and Learning Centres (SILCs) were set up as hubs for hands-on learning, equipped with STEM kits, digital devices, and experiential modules aligned with NCERT curriculum. Additionally, 45 smart classrooms were established in surrounding schools to facilitate interactive, digital-based instruction.
More than 250 teachers were trained in digital pedagogy, with ongoing support provided to help integrate technology into everyday teaching practices. An independent evaluation showed that access to STEM infrastructure in project schools increased from 27.8% to 98.6%, and attendance in smart classrooms rose from 60.5% to 98%. Student interest in pursuing science and technology-related careers also grew significantly.
“This project is about far more than infrastructure,” said Manisha Tripathi, Regional Director – North, AIF. “It’s about power—power that comes from exposure, access, and opportunity. When a girl in Hapur walks into a STEM lab and sees a 3D printer or builds her own solar car, something changes. She begins to imagine a life beyond limits... Together, we are laying the foundation for inclusive innovation, led from the grassroots.”
Ericsson, which supported the initiative as part of its corporate responsibility efforts, contributed to the project’s design, scalability, and alignment with the National Education Policy 2020.
“As a technology company, we believe in democratizing access to the tools and skills of tomorrow,” said Rajesh Gupta, Whole-Time Director, Ericsson India Private Limited. “Digital literacy and STEM learning are not optional; they are foundational to economic participation and citizenship in the 21st century. This project with AIF is a model for how corporations and civil society can co-create meaningful, measurable change.”
With the first year complete, AIF and Ericsson are planning the next phase of the project, which will include AI-driven personalized learning tools, enhanced digital safety modules, and stronger connections between students and career opportunities in STEM fields.
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