BENGALURU: Connecting the Dots (CTD), a learning programme developed by Rajesh A Rao, Ravindra S Rao, and Deepa L B Rajeev from Bengaluru, makes high quality education in Science and English accessible to 108 government schools in Karnataka.

The programme, which achieves this goal through daily classes, scholarships, and more, was also recently awarded a grant sum of Rs 50 lakh by Infosys Foundation at its Aarohan Awards ceremony.

According to Rajesh A Rao, a driving concern behind the inception of the idea in 2013 was that “Rote learning dominates our system, but today’s world needs critical thinking and application skills.” In the following year, 2014, CTD was first implemented at a government school, and 700 teachers employed at government schools were trained.

“We work with 108 government schools, benefitting over 14.800 students across 17 districts in Karnataka, including many in Bengaluru Urban and Rural. Our focus is on schools with grades 6 – 10 (English and Kannada medium) in districts that are lagging on education indicators,” Rao continues. The programme also includes periodic tests, exam-preparation sessions, quiz competitions, and career counselling.

For work of such consequence, the recruitment is done with diligence, according to Rao. “Candidates go through written tests, multiple interviews and a demo-teaching session before being considered. Over the years, we’ve had to interview nearly 30–40 candidates for every single offer we make,” he asserts. The current numerical strength at CTD stands at 46 full-time teachers and 14 non-teaching staff members.

Given the scale, nature, and depth of the programme, unsurprisingly, it is not entirely smooth sailing. Away from the metropolitan core, in the rural reaches of Karnataka – or even Bengaluru – school drop-out rates are a persistent concern. “Many students – especially in rural government schools – struggle to see the relevance or long-term value of education, and some are compelled to work after grade 10 for financial reasons. CTD’s student-centric approach focuses on rebuilding this belief in the power of education,” says Rao. He also adds that “concept-driven, application-oriented learning” is practised by the teachers at CTD to counter the effects of rote-learning.

Despite receiving co-operation from the district administrations of all the districts CTD works in, no official monetary assistance has been offered by the state government. Besides the Aarohan Award grant money, CTD is funded by various corporate social responsibility programmes.