(Scholarships as a Tool to Accelerate and Revive Academic Excellence)
STARAE, a project run by UNITED SIKHS, aims to provide free premium education to underprivileged students in India, who otherwise cannot afford to receive good basic education. We do it in two ways – firstly, by providing scholarships and, secondly, by implementing a KHOJI curriculum in participating schools.
The STARAE project has given the gift of education to many people who may not have otherwise had the opportunity to go to school. The scholars are not the only ones to have benefited under STARAE. The scheme has also given the parents a chance to play a more active role in their childrens' learning. Before the project was started, a meeting of teachers, students, as well as parents was called in order to brief them on the scheme. Parents were also invited to a feedback visit. In the case of one girl, Rajwinder Kaur, initially her father did not see how his attending the briefing meeting would be beneficial. With the best interests of Rajwinder Kaur in mind, however, UNITED SIKHS insisted that he attend. He attended this meeting as well as the feedback meeting. He now takes a more active role in the education of his daughter which is positive for him as he enjoys playing this role, as well as being invaluable support for his daughter through these crucial years of her development. Rajwinder Kaur was a weak student but at the end of her first year in her new school, she scored an average of 95.4%, coming second in her class.
