Muktangan


Muktangan, an initiative of Paragon Charitable Trust, is a pioneering educational programme with an innovative model, working in close partnership with the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai and a number of NGOs across India. Muktangan executes their programmes with support from other
partners like Maharashtra Dyslexia Association, Ummeed Child Development and Remedial Centre, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Nirmala Niketan, Teach for India Programme and Absolute Return for Kids' School Leaders India Programme.

Educational philosophy

To evolve sustainable, replicable inclusive models of quality child-centred teacher education and school programs in partnership with marginalised communities and to advocate them to the larger system. An inclusive, empowered world in which all live in harmony with freedom of expression, respect and integrity.

History

Muktangan began in March 2003 with the training of 7 women from low income communities in G South Ward of Mumbai in a well researched child-initiated pre-school pedagogy. No space being available in the local area, six classrooms were rented in the local Globe Mill Passage Municipal School. Thus began the initial relationship of Muktangan with the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai providing them the opportunity to witness and understand the Muktangan curriculum and child-centered methodology in the preschool.
Within the year, responding to the demand by parents and the local community for continuing the methodology beyond preschool, the MCGM who were already familiar with Muktangan’s effectiveness in the preschool, offered as a pilot project their English medium school in the Globe Mill Passage Municipal School to be run by Muktangan on its unique methodology. A public-private partnership was set up between Muktangan and the MCGM who have been enthusiastic, cooperative partners from that day onwards. Subsequently, having seen the success of the model, the MCGM requested us to set up six additional English medium schools in G South Ward of Mumbai. The initial 3-month pre-service training programme for local women had by now become a full one year intensive course followed by an initial year of residency.
Under MOUs between the MCGM and Muktangan, all 7 schools are adding a higher standard each year until they all reach Std X for the SSC Board Exams – the first school in 2013 and the other 6 in 2017. The original school will be going into Standard 8 in June 2011 and the remaining 6 schools into Standard 4, covering 2000 children with an additional 300 children being added every year thereafter.

Schools

These schools operate under Muktangan.