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As schools plan to reopen, 39% students unaware of school reopening guidelines: Smile Foundation survey

~41% students not fully comfortable with following COVID protocol, 52% concerned about consuming mid-day meals~

New Delhi, March 31, 2021: As schools across India prepare to reopen for children after the pandemic year, as many as 39% students are not aware or have incomplete knowledge of the school reopening guidelines amid COVID-19. And as many as 41% are not fully comfortable following COVID protocol in school.

These details have emerged in a survey by Smile Foundation where the major respondents are the school children. This survey was conducted between February and March 2021 among a random sample from 26,860 students from 131 schools across 12 states, among students in the 8-18 age group.

The survey was conducted among beneficiary students of Smile Foundation’s flagship Mission Education program, which aims to provide basic education and healthcare to underprivileged children.

The survey has found that an overwhelming 78% students are happy about the prospect of reopening of schools, but 22% students are anxious and scared of meeting their school friends and interacting with them.

Worryingly, as many as 52% students were found to be concerned about consuming mid-day meals when schools reopen.

59% of the students surveyed in Smile Foundation’s study were from rural areas, 25% were from urban areas, and 16% were from semi-urban areas.

The pandemic has fundamentally reshaped education delivery with students opting for blended learning options. As many as 49% of the students surveyed opted for a blend of online learning tools and offline education delivery. Through the pandemic, Smile Foundation has implemented a blended learning approach under its Shiksha Na Ruke initiative to ensure continued education of school children to mitigate disruption from COVID-19.

Smile Foundation’s blended learning approach improves accessibility to education for students across India through multiple means – smartphones, tablets, television sets, radio and even through feature phones. Home visits by teachers, cluster classes, distribution of printed worksheets, guidance by mentors and Shikshamitras, all form part of the blended learning approach, which includes methodology for continued learning, even after schools gradually re-open.

Talking about the survey, Mr. Santanu Mishra, Co-Founder, and Executive Trustee, Smile Foundation said, “It is important to understand the ground reality and the concerns of the children and their parents. Before schools reopen, we must work on educating students about COVID-appropriate behavior in these new normal circumstances. Over the past year, students have been learning through a combination of various online and offline modes. However there has certainly been a significant gap in learning. Considerable time and effort must be devoted to build students’ confidence in returning to schools.”

The survey also included responses from 75 teachers in 12 states. It found that 69% teachers were highly satisfied with the teaching and learning process in the blended learning format to reach the children and continue the teaching learning… an attempt to Shiksha Na Ruke.

The survey suggested that 44% teachers feel students will not be able to catch up with learning as per the conventional grades’ standard when they return to schools, while 42% of teachers felt maintaining COVID protocol will be the other major challenge for returning students.

About Mission Education

Under its flagship program, Mission Education, Smile Foundation is committed to provide basic education and healthcare to underprivileged children. The underlining approach of the mission is that education is the right area to start making a difference to address allied areas like healthcare, poverty, population control, unemployment, or human rights. Since its inception in 2002, more than 232,000 underprivileged children have directly benefitted from the Mission Education program.

About Smile Foundation:

Smile Foundation, is an NGO in India directly benefitting over 15,00,000 children and their families every year, through more than 400 live welfare projects on education for poor children, healthcare, livelihood and women empowerment, in over 2000 remote villages and slums across 25 states of India. Adopting a life cycle approach of development, Smile Foundation focuses its interventions on children, their families, and the community.

Media Contact:
Sreeparna Chakrabarty: [email protected]. | 9811502059
Website: http://www.smilefoundationindia.org/

Privacy Policy - Smile Foundation

Information Gathering

1. Smile Foundation collects information from the users in a number of ways, for example when the user:

  • Makes a donation
  • Signs up for a campaign
  • Signs up to stay updated

2. While forwarding a donation for Smile Foundation the well-wishers have to submit some personal information as it would help us ensuring genuine contributions:

  • Your name
  • Your email and mailing address
  • Your telephone number
  • Your payment processing details
  • Any other data as required

3. Smile Foundation does not collect or record the user’s personal information unless he/she chooses to provide it.

Use of Personal Information

1. General browsing of Smile Foundation website is anonymous and it does not register the user’spersonal information except the time, date and place of visits and the name of internet service provider. This data is used only for statistics and diagnosis.

2. By signing up for various services offered by Smile Foundation, the user explicitly authorizes us to collect information based on the user’s usage. The information is used to help provide a better experience to the user and is used as per the user’s specified instructions.

3. Smile Foundation keeps the user information strictly confidential and this information is secured safely. All relevant information collected through Smile Foundation website is handled and used by internal and/or authorized officials only. It is nevershared with any external agencies or third party individuals.

4. Smile Foundation uses the information givento it in the following ways:

  • To keep an accurate record of all the donations received
  • To update users about its happenings and developments through bulletins and newsletters, with an option of not to subscribe for the same
  • To make sure the user is receiving the most appropriate and relevant information
  • To find out more about the people who are visiting the Smile Foundationwebsite, donating, or joining its campaigns

5. Usually, Smile Foundation does not store user data. In case of specific sign-ups, the data is stored as per user request. The user can opt to delete all the information he/she has provided by simply requesting such by mail. All information, without exception, will be deleted in two working days.

Privacy of e-mail lists

Individuals who join Smile Foundation’s mailing lists via its website or through its campaigning engagements are added to its email database. Smile Foundation does not sell, rent, loan, trade, or lease the addresses on our lists to anyone.

Cookie Policy

1. Cookies are pieces of electronic information which will be sent by Smile Foundation when a user visitsthe website. These will be placed in the hard disk of the user’s computer and enable Smile Foundation to recognise the user when he/she visits the website again.

2. The user can configure his/her browser so that it responds to cookies the way he/she deems fit. For example, you make want to accept all cookies, reject them all or get notified when a cookie is sent. The users may check their browser’s settings to modify cookie behaviour as per individual behaviour.

3. If a user disables the use of cookies on the web browser, or removes or rejects specific cookies from Smile Foundation’swebsite or linked sites then he/she may not be able to use the website as it is intended.

Payment Gateway

1. SmileFoundation uses well-recognised and proven technology for payments. Payment information is transferred by the use of an SSL connection which offers the highest degree of security that the donor’s browser is able to support.

2. Several layers of built-in security, including an advanced firewall system, encryption of credit card numbers, and use of passwords, protect the collected information.

External Web Services

1. Smile Foundation uses a number of external web services on its site to display content within its web pages. For example, to display video it uses YouTube. As with the social media buttons, Smile Foundation cannot prevent these sites, or external domains, from collecting information on the user’s consumption of the content embedded on its site.

2. The Smile Foundation website contains links to other websites for the benefit of its visitors. This Privacy Policy does not apply to such other websites.

3. Smile Foundation is not expressly or impliedly responsible for, or liable to any loss or damage caused to a user by the collection, use and retention of Personal Information by such website in any manner whatsoever. It is important that the users review the privacy policies of all websites they visit before disclosing any information to such websites.

Changes to Privacy Policy

1. As and when the need arises, Smile Foundation may alter its privacy policy in accordance with the latest technology and trends. It will provide you with timely notice of these changes. The users may reach out to Smile Foundation if they have any queries about any changes made to its practices.

2. If you have any questions at all about Smile Foundation’s privacy policy, please write to us at: [email protected]

Refund and Cancellation Policy

Welcome to this web-site of SMILE FOUNDATION. We make public our policy on refund and cancellation of donations received for the social cause on payment gateway as under:-

  • No refund/cancellation for the donated amount by any donor will not be entertained, the online donations through the online payment gateway.
  • No cash or refund of money will be allowed.
  • If any in-kind support received by the donor from any where the material will be reached to the poorest of the poorer communities.
  • Once received the donation for a cause will not be refunded to the donor. No cancellation to be made. The donation will be used for the community development, children education or women’s empowerment.
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If these terms and conditions are not accepted in full, the use of this site must be terminated immediately. SMILE FOUNDATION for Social Welfare Service is a registered at

161 B/4, 3rd Floor, Gulmohar House
Yusuf Sarai Community Centre
New Delhi-110049
Phone : +91-11-43123700

Supplementing & In Alignment with Government Initiatives

Disaster Response

EDUCATION

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
National Education Policy
Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao
Digital India

Disaster Response

lIVELIHOOD

Skill India
Enhancing Formal Skilling



Disaster Response

HEALTH

National Rural Health Mission
Universal Health Coverage
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Promotion of Govt. Health Schemes

Disaster Response

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

Anaemia Mukt Bharat
Poshan Abhiyan
Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan
Anganwadi Strengthening