The Utkal Alumina International limited (UAIl) has taken several measures to promote education in tribal inhabited Rayagada district.
While the Aditya Birla Public School (ABPS) is a giant step of the company towards providing education in English medium with all modern amenities, it has begun promoting literacy through Adult literacy Centres (AlCs) among the women in the peripheral villages. The company has mentored 14 AlCs to educate 350 women in 14 different villages.
Qualified girls from the same villages have been given the responsibility of teaching and managing the centres. This helps the bonding and learning process.
To ensure quality education in the schools of UAIl peripheral villages, the Utkal Alumina has given substantial teacher support. The Panchayat High School of Kucheipadar village is one of the most liked educational institutes of the area, constructed by Utkal Alumina. The hostel building with drinking water facility has recently been added to the facilities. Besides, 27 schools have been supported financially for construction of boundary walls, extension class rooms and repairing of school buildings.
UAIl has been able to mobilise around Rs 57 lakhs for the construction of additional class rooms in 9 schools in the periphery partnering with the State Government through the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan programme.
Utkal Alumina has been extending support to “Nutan Gyanverdhini”, a school for differently challenged children, at Kolanara. Along with education, the children are tutored in life skills and vocational training such as tailoring. They have been given uniforms, teaching and learning materials and playing equipment.
Over 375 students of three different UP schools have received uniforms. This has helped needy students and increased their attendance at the schools. Furthermore, meritorious students belonging to the underserved communities have been given financial assistance for higher education.
Every year best teachers from adult literacy and UAIl supplemented Government schools have been recognized and honoured. These teachers are chosen on the basis of certain criteria like regularity, punctuality, individual attention towards students, teaching interest, interaction with parents and the wellbeing of students, etc.