The unveiling of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Junior School (NMAJS) in Mumbai on Wednesday marked yet another step of the Reliance Foundation towards ensuring education for all as a means towards accelerating India’s social and economic progress.
Located adjacent to the Dhirubhai Ambani International School (DAIS) campus at Bandra-Kurla Complex, this new school has been conceptualised and designed as a state-of-the-art campus, with flexible learning spaces, provision for students to collaborate and work in small or large groups, and to facilitate personalised instruction.
NMAJS is poised to take forward the journey of excellence that DAIS has traversed, ever since it was established in 2003 under the visionary leadership of Mrs Nita Ambani. A teacher at heart and an educationist with extraordinary passion and commitment, Mrs Nita Ambani, Founder and Chairperson, has led DAIS into the league of the best schools in the world in just 20 years. Today, DAIS is the No. 1 International School in India and among the Top 20 IB Schools in the world.
The Reliance Foundation uses a two-pronged approach to accelerate India’s educational quotient, through initiatives spanning primary, secondary and tertiary education: One, developing world-class institutions that serve as models to transform and strengthen the country’s education system; and two, nurturing India’s youth and future global leaders to develop solutions to India’s challenges and, in parallel, ensuring equitable access to education for all.
As the Reliance Foundation adds yet another feather in its cap with NMAJS, here’s a look at their other education-related initiatives:
• JIO institute
Jio Institute is a multi-disciplinary higher education institute dedicated to the pursuit of excellence by bringing together global scholars and thought leaders and providing an enriching student experience through world-class education, relevant research platforms, and a culture of innovation.
It aims to build an exemplary Indian academic institution of international repute that contributes to industry and society by providing a robust interdisciplinary research platform to innovators, leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow.
In July 2022, Jio Institute launched two inaugural postgraduate programmes in Artificial Intelligence & Data Science and Digital Media & Marketing Communications. The Institute aims to expand across multiple disciplines covering undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, and post-doctoral programmes to augment multi-disciplinary learning and strengthen its global reputation.
Jio Institute is based in a 52-acre digitally enabled campus in Ulwe, Navi Mumbai, which harmoniously combines nature and state-of-the-art infrastructure.
• RELIANCE FOUNDATION SCHOOLS
The 14 Reliance Foundation Schools, located in Jamnagar, Surat, Vadodara, Dahej, Lodhivali, Nagothane, Nagpur and Navi Mumbai, collectively provide quality education to around 14,500 children annually and employ nearly 800 teachers and staff.
Reliance Foundation Schools aim to serve as a springboard for learning that recognises the dynamics and challenges of an ever-evolving and increasingly interconnected world, and celebrate the continuum of values and culture of a vibrant, harmonious and forward-looking society. The schools prepare children for lifelong learning, paving the way for a progressive nation and a better world.
The schools emphasise academic excellence and all-round development of children by offering a blend of curricular and co-curricular elements. The schools are affiliated with CBSE, Gujarat State Board, and Maharashtra State Board and offer education from Kindergarten to Class 12. The comprehensive and flexible curriculum offered by the schools is ever evolving and has a futuristic approach supported by contemporary pedagogical practices that aim to broad-base and deepen the intellectual and creative capacity of every child.
Reliance Foundation Schools have won seven international awards, 27 national awards, and 125 awards at zonal, state, and district levels in the academic year 2021-22. A total of 38 per cent students secured 90 per cent and above in CBSE Class 10 Board exams and 28 per cent students scored above 90 per cent in CBSE Class 12 Board examinations in the academic year 2021-22.
• Dhirubhai Ambani International School
Dhirubhai Ambani International School is a K-12 co-educational International Day School which was established in 2003 to offer world-class educational opportunities. The school provides a safe and stimulating learning environment, with state-of-the-art infrastructure and facilities to cater to the evolving educational needs of children, preparing them for the future and ensuring their well-being and holistic development. Mrs Nita Ambani is the Founder & Chairperson of the School.
The school prepares students to sit for the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE), the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) examinations. The school is also a candidate for the IB PYP Programme in the primary school.
The school’s mission is to provide a learning environment that encourages children to bring out the best in themselves and enables their holistic development through the joy of learning, enduring values, and the celebration of diversity.
The school’s talented and dedicated teachers with linguistic and cultural diversity play a central role in enhancing children’s learning. The student body, comprising 1,094 students, reflects the cultural diversity of India. The school has 183 teachers, with 24 being expatriates from 12 different countries. With a teacher-student ratio of 1:6, every child enjoys individualised attention.
• Reliance Foundation Scholarships
Reliance has been providing scholarships to meritorious students for over 25 years, inspired by Reliance Founder-Chairman Shri Dhirubhai Ambani’s belief that the best way to ensure the nation’s progress is to invest in its youth.
(1) The Dhirubhai Ambani Scholarship (DAS) was established in 1996 to encourage and assist meritorious students to purse higher education and enhance the human resource potential in the country. Scholarships are awarded on a merit cum-means basis to outstanding students from financially weak backgrounds for undergraduate education in any stream of their choice.
Since inception, DAS has supported 12,776 students on a pan-India level, including 50 per cent female scholars and 20 per cent specially abled students.
(2) The Reliance Foundation Scholarships (RFS) were launched in 2020-21 with the aim of enabling and propelling India’s brightest youth who are uniquely positioned to lead India’s technologically driven growth to become the future leaders of tomorrow.
Through RFS, Reliance Foundation selects 100 students every year in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, Computer Sciences, Mathematics & Computing, and Electrical and/or Electronics Engineering on the basis of merit through a rigorous selection process.
Reliance Foundation nurtures and supports selected scholars with a holistic development programme, including expert interactions, industry exposure and volunteering opportunities to nurture their skills to innovate for social good.
• Education and Sports for All
The Education and Sports for All (ESA) initiative was launched in 2010 to provide access to quality education and sports for development in India.
The ESA programme supports various initiatives that promote holistic development and equal opportunities in education and sports for children, as well as seeks to improve the quality of education in India through educational innovations.
To maximise its reach and improve outcomes, Reliance Foundation establishes strategic partnerships with organizations with the technical expertise and experience to undertake various programmes in the domain of education and sports.
Through partnerships with NGOs, the ESA programme has positively impacted the lives of over 300,000 underprivileged children across the length and breadth of the country over the last few years.
In 2022-2023, Reliance Foundation supported the following NGOs to promote holistic development and equal opportunities in education and sports for children: Enabling Leadership, Mrida Education, Labhya Foundation, Aseema, Mumbai Mobile Creches, Milan Foundation, The Community Library Project, Yuwa India Trust, Ummeed, Oscan Foundation, CanSupport, eVidyaloka, One Billion Literates and Meljol.
ESA seeks to make world-class educational and sports experiences that provide inspiration and educational opportunities accessible to children from all backgrounds. Every year, thousands of children from different NGOs watch an IPL match at the Wankhede stadium, Mumbai, supported by ESA. Reliance Foundation organises special celebrations for underprivileged children in many locations. Children are invited to enjoy an entire day of celebrations, and in 2022, Jio Wonderland welcomed 1,500+ underprivileged kids to experience the joy of Christmas and celebrate through festive education and sports activities.
To continue positively impacting more children, Reliance Foundation has invited proposals for ESA Grants 2024.
• Early Childhood Care and Education in India
Reliance Foundation is committed to supporting the enhancement of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) in India, recognising the importance of early years in brain development and laying the foundation for a child’s lifelong learning. Aligned with the vision of the National Education Policy 2020, which emphasises play-based learning at the Foundational Stage (3-8 years) and working together with communities, educators and experts, Reliance Foundation aims to build evidence-based innovative models for varying contexts across states, thus improving early childhood development outcomes for millions of pre-school children, especially those from marginalised communities.
• Reliance Foundation Teacher Awards
The Reliance Foundation Teacher Awards (RFTA) were instituted to recognise and celebrate India’s teachers and motivate them to strive for excellence. The awards are conferred to the top 1,000 teachers who excel in the Teaching Professionals Olympiad (TPO), organised by the Centre for Teacher Accreditation (CENTA). Reliance Foundation provides a cash prize of ` 1 lakh to the top three national rank holders.
Over the last four editions, Reliance Foundation has impacted nearly 38,000 teachers through its support to CENTA TPO.
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