Making the Invisible, Visible: P&G Shiksha Addressing Invisible Learning Gaps

Bindiya's story resonates deeply as she battles to cope in the classroom, often retreating into a shell of self-doubt and diminished confidence. But hope emerges as P&G Shiksha steps in, bridging her learning gap with cutting-edge technology and digital remedial learning interventions.

Through the Campaign, P&G Shiksha aims to reach as many people and have as many conversations as possible about the #InvisibleGap to drive much-needed awareness and call for collective action against the issue.

As part of this, recently, P&G Shiksha joined hands with Padma Shri awardee and renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik. He created a magnificent sand art on Niladree Beach in Puri, Odisha, to grab people's attention towards invisible learning gaps in children.

In his sand art, Sudarsan Ji beautifully depicts a young schoolgirl like Bindiya, hiding behind a bag and benches, symbolizing the unvoiced impact of learning gaps on a child's confidence which is one of the ways in which it manifests in children. This sculpture captures the fear and apprehension that children experience when they struggle to answer questions in class simply because they are not at par with the expected grade learning level as per the curriculum. The artwork perfectly embodies the essence of this year's P&G Shiksha campaign, urging the nation to recognize and take meaningful action to bridge these invisible gaps.

And this is not all! Starting last weekend, P&G Shiksha turned iconic locations like Bandra Bandstand and Connaught Place in Mumbai and Delhi into a one-of-its-kind experiential zone to create awareness around learning gaps in children's education, inspired by the latest campaign.

The zone offers a unique opportunity for people to learn more about the widespread issue of invisible learning gaps in children’s education through various interactive activities. This includes:

- Art-Installation: This beautiful showcase of art will compel people to stop their stroll and ask why a little girl is hiding behind a desk in what appears to be a classroom. The art installation aims to encourage people to sit next to the girl, take a trip down memory lane, to the nostalgia of hiding from the teacher in classrooms to understand how learning gaps impact children.

- Virtual tour to Himachal Pradesh: This unique experience will transport people to a P&G Shiksha supported school in a charming village nestled in the scenic hills of Himachal Pradesh, using a virtual reality device, where they can immerse in the heartwarming stories of children benefiting from the Mindspark program as P&G Shiksha bridges the gaps in their education.

- A Power-Packed Nukkad Natak: On weekend evenings, young college students from Mumbai’s Mithibai College and a student body from Delhi University – Dastak, left the audience mesmerized through their portrayal of the learning gap via a power-packed riveting street plays known as nukkad naataks. The act aimed to simplify the issue of learning gaps and drive awareness on how it manifests itself in children, helping parents tackle this and take corrective measures to bridge the gap. The plays were held in Mumbai (Bandstand) up till May 21 and in Delhi (Connaught Place) on May 20 and 21st.

Launched in 2005, P&G Shiksha has continued its mission of providing access to a holistic education to lesser privileged children, impacting over 35 lakhs, with programs that aim to improve learning outcomes, strengthen educational infrastructure, and empower girls from marginalized communities.