Education has become a fundamental right; near universalization of elementary schooling has been achieved. However, assessment of learning levels of students show that educational attainment levels are low. Though students are coming to school with diverse backgrounds and learning propensities, there is a homogeneous curriculum requirement for all students. This poses challenges to the students, the teachers and the communities seeking the promise of quality education.
It is in this context, that this paper seeks to explore if and how an alternative approach to curriculum and school can be imagined, with empathy as the cornerstone. This paper is based on the experiences of 5 schools run by the Kaigal Education and Environment (KEEP) program, in Chittoor district, Andhra Pradesh, and will frame it in the context of education for marginalized communities in India. The schools studied as part of this paper are from 5 remote tribal villages.
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