Mumbai, October 16, 2025: The DBS Foundation (DBSF) has announced a partnership with Sampark Foundation to enhance foundational literacy and numeracy skills among underserved children through the DBS Foundation x Sampark Foundation: Foundational Learning Programme. The initiative aims to transform learning outcomes for more than 5 lakh (512,000) students across 12,700 government schools in Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Himachal Pradesh over the next three years.
DBS Foundation has committed SGD 4.21 million (approximately ₹27.1 crore) for the programme, which will run from 2025 to 2028. The collaboration aligns with DBSF’s focus on improving access to essential needs—particularly quality education—and fostering inclusion through scalable, high-impact interventions.
The Foundational Learning Programme will introduce innovative learning tools such as the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) Box for Grades 1–5 and the Sampark Science Box for Grades 6–8. These internet-free, plug-and-play devices are preloaded with curriculum-aligned educational content designed to enhance proficiency in mathematics, Hindi, English, and science. The initiative will also provide teachers with training in interactive pedagogy, helping them deliver engaging and effective lessons.
Karen Ngui, Head, DBS Foundation and DBS Group Strategic Marketing and Communications, said,
“At DBS Foundation, we believe that a strong start early in life is key to building long-term resilience. Education is one of the most powerful drivers of equity, and our partnership with Sampark Foundation aims to narrow the education gap for children in rural communities. By focusing on early learning interventions, we hope to equip students with the skills and confidence they need to thrive in school and instil a love for learning to take them through all stages of life.”
Arun Bhatt, Head – Philanthropy & Partnerships, Sampark Foundation, added,
“Transformation at scale requires frugal innovation, deep collaboration, and a commitment to impact. Our partnership with DBS Foundation brings us closer to our mission of enabling interactive and sustainable learning experiences for children across India. By working with state governments, we are embedding these innovations into the heart of the public education system.”
To ensure scalability and government co-ownership, non-financial Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) have been signed with the governments of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Himachal Pradesh. The model is designed to strengthen state education systems and is expected to deliver an approximate 30% improvement in student learning outcomes across literacy, numeracy, and science by 2028.
Since its inception in 2005, Sampark Foundation has impacted over 18.4 million children and trained 850,000 teachers across eight Indian states. The partnership builds on DBS Foundation’s broader efforts to create societal impact by improving access to essential services such as education, food security, and livelihoods.
In 2023, DBS announced a global commitment of up to SGD 1 billion and 1.5 million employee volunteer hours over the next decade to uplift vulnerable communities. The partnership with Sampark Foundation represents a key milestone in that mission, reflecting DBS’s belief that empowering young learners with strong foundational education is essential to building resilient, equitable societies.
