Sikkim govt partners with Bharti Airtel Foundation to reform school education

The Sikkim government on March 19 formalized a collaboration with the Bharti Airtel Foundation to enhance the quality of school education through targeted academic and institutional interventions.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed between School Education Secretary Tashi Chophel and Sameer Shah, Head of Program Operations at Bharti Airtel Foundation, in the presence of Education Minister Raju Basnet and Principal Secretary Dr Sandeep Tambe at the Tashiling Secretariat.

As part of the agreement, the foundation will implement its Quality Support Program to strengthen life skills among students, boost teacher participation, and streamline school-level processes through co-scholastic initiatives and capacity-building measures, according to a press release.

The program will initially be introduced on a pilot basis in government schools located in two blocks of the Rhenock and Namcheybong constituencies in the Pakyong district.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Raju Basnet emphasized that improving school infrastructure, empowering teachers, and advancing the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 remain key priorities of the Government of Sikkim.

He highlighted that the Bharti Airtel Foundation's teacher- and student-centric approach aligns with the state's vision of creating joyful, learner-focused classrooms and reaffirmed the government's commitment to institutionalizing such practices for long-term impact.

Sameer Shah reiterated the foundation's commitment to strengthening India's education ecosystem through system-level interventions, highlighting the partnership as a step towards empowering students, teachers, and school leadership for sustained outcomes.