Education is the foundation of a thriving society, and ensuring equitable access to quality learning is key to sustainable development. From empowering young girls with the right to education to fostering leadership through experiential learning, the role of education in shaping inclusive and future-ready communities is undeniable. With a strong commitment to bridging learning gaps, leveraging technology, and addressing socio-economic barriers, Bharti Airtel Foundation is driving impactful change through its various initiatives.
In this exclusive conversation, Ms. Mamta Saikia, CEO of Bharti Airtel Foundation, delves into the organization’s efforts in transforming government schools, promoting digital inclusion, and equipping both students and teachers with future-ready skills. She highlights the Foundation’s initiatives, such as the Satya Bharti School Program, Quality Support Program, and TheTeacherApp, which align with India’s National Education Policy (NEP) and foster holistic development.
Read below as she shares insights on how education can be a powerful tool in breaking socio-economic barriers, ensuring gender equality, and preparing young minds for the opportunities of tomorrow:
Q. The Satya Bharti School Program focuses on providing free quality education to underprivileged children, especially girls. What are the key challenges in ensuring equitable access to education in rural India, and how is the program addressing them?
A. Satya Bharti Schools were set up with the guiding philosophy, ‘to create institutions of learning, radiating knowledge and excellence for underprivileged children’. It is our aim to provide high quality education that empowers a child to start their journey as an explorer and realise their potential, thereby leading a successful life. By empowering underprivileged children, with a special focus on girl students, Satya Bharti Schools are breaking societal barriers, transforming education into a lifelong journey of growth and success.
The program addresses challenges in rural India, such as gender bias, poverty, and poor infrastructure, by prioritising girl child enrollment, ensuring experiential learning, and creating a safe, inclusive environment. To improve quality of education, it invests regularly in creating a pool of committed educators, with the latest pedagogical and competency-based teaching methodology. Student leaders, with girls playing a crucial part amongst them, take charge of student-led development initiatives, as critical thinkers and problem solvers, equipped with confidence and life skills.
Q. The Quality Support Program (QSP) aims to make government schools holistic learning spaces. How does the program foster leadership and collaboration skills among students, and what impact have you observed so far?
A. The Quality Support Program (QSP) drives engagement, confidence, and aspiration among students at partner government schools, helping them become lifelong learners and active contributors to society. Students develop leadership skills through initiatives like the IT Innovation Clubs and Astronomy Clubs, where they get hands-on understanding about innovations in the field of science and technology. Their projects have been recongised at Inspire Manak, Design for Change, Yuvika – ISRO Young Scientist Program, and Pramerica Spirit of Community Awards, among others.
By enhancing the school environment through cleanliness drives, school gallery walks, and creative spaces, QSP fosters a sense of ownership, teamwork, and responsibility among students. An impact assessment study by PWC of QSP schools revealed that 88% students felt participating in workshops, events, and activities made their school experience better. This is also because parents from these schools showed higher involvement in home mentoring, actively monitoring activities taken up by their children.
Q. Satya Bharti Abhiyan has improved sanitation in rural Ludhiana and Amritsar. Beyond infrastructure, how does the initiative ensure long-term behavioral change regarding hygiene practices in these communities?
A. After the successful implementation of the ‘Satya Bharti Abhiyan’, sanitation became embedded as a fundamental community value, ensuring healthier, more educated rural communities.
Access to toilets minimises open defecation, leading to a decline in waterborne diseases. Women and children, who are more vulnerable to poor sanitation conditions, benefit from a healthier living environment. Providing separate girls' toilets in schools ensures that female students continue their education without interruptions due to lack of facilities; Household toilets eliminate the need for women and girls to go to isolated areas, reducing safety risks.
Ms. Mandeep Kaur, Sarpanch Bhattiya Daha, Punjab, stated, “I believe that the message of Swachh Bharat is being truly delivered by Bharti Airtel Foundation through its Satya Bharti Abhiyan in the villages of Ludhiana. We are grateful to the Foundation for providing us access to toilets in our own houses. In addition, the Abhiyan team worked diligently to explain the benefits of adopting healthy sanitation practices among the villagers. This initiative is a sure step towards ensuring the development of our village.”
Q. The Bharti Airtel Scholarship Program aims to support students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. How does the scholarship program align with India's growing need for skilled professionals in emerging technologies?
A. The Bharti Airtel Scholarship is provided to students enrolled in the top 50 NIRF engineering institutes of India, for courses in the fields of Electronics & Communication, Telecom, Information Technology, Computer Sciences, Data Sciences, Aerospace and Emerging Technologies (AI, IoT, AR/VR, Machine Learning, Robotics). By focusing on these subjects, the scholarship encourages aspirants to pursue opportunities in emerging technologies and develop skills for the professional industry of the future.
The scholars are provided regular exposure through seminars on career guidance and emerging industry trends from leaders. The scholars also take in-person and online sessions to give school students insights about their own journeys, campus life, and future prospects. Additionally, student committees are being formed where scholars will engage in focus areas such as well-being, leadership, college drives, and more.
Q. TheTeacherApp aims to upskill educators with future-ready competencies. How does this initiative address the skill gaps among teachers, and what role do digital platforms play in enhancing classroom delivery?
A. TheTeacherApp is designed to provide teachers the opportunity to learn at their own pace. The platform is designed to scale up the reach and support to teachers nationally, enhancing their skills through training sessions, self-paced learning modules, and additional resources such as learning bytes and podcasts. Further enriching the experience, TheTeacherApp includes initiatives such as Thematic Fest series, Webinar Series, Competitions, and Quizzes designed to engage and motivate educators. They can access quality resources, such as tech courses, pedagogical courses, and integrated project-based learning, allowing continuous professional development without disrupting their schedules.
Teachers can also tailor their teaching strategies by accessing pre-made lesson plans, instructional videos, and subject-specific content. Additionally, digital tools help integrate quizzes, polls, and interactive learning techniques to keep students engaged.
Q. The National Education Policy emphasizes experiential learning and digital transformation. How do Bharti Airtel Foundation’s initiatives align with NEP’s vision, particularly in making education more accessible and inclusive?
A. Bharti Airtel Foundation’s initiatives strongly align with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 by promoting experiential learning and digital transformation, making education more accessible and inclusive. Through the Satya Bharti School Program, Quality Support Program (QSP) and QSP State Partnerships, the Foundation integrates technology-driven education, interactive learning methodologies, and real-life learning experiences to empower students across rural India.
To bridge the digital divide, the Foundation has established Digital Classrooms, Robotics Labs, TabLabs, Language Labs, IT Innovation Clubs, and Astronomy Clubs, enabling students to develop STEM skills, critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and hands-on learning. TheTeacherApp supports teacher training and continuous professional development, ensuring alignment with NEP’s vision of competency-based education. Additionally, initiatives like internships, community volunteering, and life skills development enhance students’ career readiness and social awareness.
By fostering innovation, equity, and digital literacy, Bharti Airtel Foundation is transforming education, ensuring every child, regardless of background, has access to quality learning opportunities.
Q. Many of your programs emphasize girl child education. What are the biggest barriers to girls' education in India, and how is the Foundation working to break these socio-cultural and economic challenges?
A. The biggest barriers to girls’ education in India include socio-cultural norms, economic constraints, and safety concerns. Deep-rooted gender biases also limit educational opportunities. Economic challenges and inadequate school infrastructure, including lack of sanitation facilities, may further deter girls from attending school. A lot has improved in our country over the years, as can be seen through our enrollment numbers. The government has various schemes encouraging girls to pursue or continue education. Girls are now taking their rightful spaces in the tech sector. With the concerted efforts of the government, community, parents, and civic society, we believe that all girls in our country will get equal opportunities.
Bharti Airtel Foundation has been actively addressing challenges as well. By providing free quality education, scholarships, and digital learning resources, the Foundation ensures equitable access for girls. Schools maintain a safe learning environment with proper sanitation facilities and female teachers as role models. Community engagement initiatives, like the Home Mentoring initiative and Saksharta Bharti Abhiyan, encourage parental support for girls’ education. Additionally, life skills training, IT Innovation Clubs, and STEM education foster confidence and career aspirations among young girls, ensuring long-term empowerment and inclusion.
Q. With the rise of online learning, many underprivileged students still lack access to digital resources. How is the Foundation working towards bridging this digital divide and making quality education accessible to all?
A. Bharti Airtel Foundation is actively working to bridge the digital divide and make quality education accessible to all in rural India through a range of innovative programs. By integrating digital learning into the curriculum, the Foundation enhances educational efficiency and ensures that students, especially from underprivileged backgrounds, have access to advanced technology. Apart from making tech-based education available in schools, we have seen that (Assar report) X% students/parents are accessing content and learning through phone. This can play a huge role in bridging the digital divide.
Some of our initiatives include the expansion of digital classrooms across Satya Bharti Schools, which integrate smart TVs, projection systems, and internet-enabled learning resources. The TabLab and Interactive Panel Classrooms provide personalised and adaptive learning experiences, while Robotics Labs in select schools equip students with STEM skills.
To support teachers, the Foundation has developed TheTeacherApp, a digital platform offering continuous professional development and classroom support. Additionally, the Quality Support Program (QSP) and QSP State Partnerships extend technology-driven interventions to government schools, improving digital literacy. These efforts collectively empower students and educators, ensuring inclusive and equitable learning opportunities.
Q. How does Bharti Airtel Foundation measure the impact of its educational initiatives, and what are the key focus areas for expansion in the coming years?
A. Bharti Airtel Foundation measures the impact of its educational initiatives through structured impact assessments, student performance tracking, life skills competency, number of students pursuing higher education, the various employment sectors they are working in, and teacher engagement evaluations. Independent assessments, such as the KPMG study, highlight key metrics like student participation, learning outcomes, and digital literacy adoption. Over 90% of primary students and 85% of secondary students reported high engagement in learning activities. The Foundation also tracks scholarship success, alumni achievements, and improvements in government school partnerships through its Quality Support Program (QSP), and broadening STEM education through IT Innovation Clubs and tech labs. In terms of TheTeacherApp, the impact is seen by the number of teacher certifications, and affirmed usage of these training methods in classrooms.
For future expansion, the Foundation focuses on scaling digital interventions and enhancing teacher training via TheTeacherApp. Strengthening state partnerships to implement NEP-aligned reforms and introducing real-life learning experiences through internships are also a priority. With over three million children impacted, Bharti Airtel Foundation remains committed to fostering inclusive, technology-driven, and skills-oriented education.
Q. Education reform requires multi-stakeholder efforts. Are there any ongoing or upcoming collaborations with government bodies, corporates, or NGOs to scale these initiatives and enhance their reach?
A. Bharti Airtel Foundation is committed to education reform through strategic collaborations with government bodies, and corporates to scale initiatives and enhance their reach. The Foundation’s Quality Support Program (QSP) and QSP Partnerships have been instrumental in transforming government schools by partnering with state education departments across 12 states and union territories, impacting over 600,000 children in 1,000 government schools. We actively support the Government of India’s initiatives, including NEP 2020, by fostering life skills, digital literacy, and STEM education.
Corporate collaborations have enabled the establishment of advanced technology labs, robotic labs, TabLabs and language labs, enhancing experiential learning for students. The Foundation has also forged partnerships with esteemed institutions like IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, ISB Mohali, and Anant National University to support higher education and STEM initiatives.
Q. What message would you like to share about the role of education in shaping a more equitable and empowered future for young girls and women in India?
A. Educate a girl, empower a generation.
Education is more than just literacy; it is empowerment, independence, and a pathway to opportunity. Through our various initiatives, we have enabled thousands of girls to step into classrooms, break barriers, and reimagine their futures. When a girl receives education, she gains the confidence, skills, and knowledge to shape her own destiny – whether by pursuing a career, becoming financially independent, or advocating for change in her community.
But for this vision to become a reality, we must dismantle the barriers that keep girls out of school. It is not just about building schools, but building an ecosystem where every girl has the opportunity to learn, lead, and thrive. Therefore, it is our continued mission to ensure girls have the tools to succeed, lead, and inspire. Because when we educate a girl, we empower a nation.
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