Evaluation Studies

Since the first phase of the project, efforts have been made to develop mechanisms for understanding and recording its impact in schools. Several external impact assessment studies have been conducted at various stages, by experts in the field of education. Feedback and recommendations from the studies have helped the team develop an objective insight into field-responses and to re-organize some of our strategies.

Alongside, responses from children, teachers and supervisory officials have contributed to enriching and fine-tuning the content and implementation strategies of Sangati in schools.

But most important, the findings of the studies have boosted our morale as they show that key objectives envisaged by the team have been realized to a considerable extent.

The Programme has created a space within the formal structure to provide meaningful, enjoyable and valuable learning experiences.

Padma Velaskar and Leena Abraham, TISS 1995

95% of the teachers believed that Sangati has had a positive impact on children - increase in interest and involvement, increase in self-expression, confidence, general knowledge, thinking skills and ability to work in a group.

Shanthi Kurien and Amrita Patwardhan, 2004

Most teachers, principals and administrators of MMC were appreciative of the relevance of Sangati for children’s lives as a curriculum that relates to their experiences.

Rakhi Banerjee, Nandini Manjrekar, Meenu Pandey: TISS 2008-09

Unit for Research in Sociology of Education, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, 1995

A rapid appraisal of the pilot programme in Mahalaxmi Mandir Municipal Hindi School was carried out during 1994-95. The report is titled Class, Culture and Curriculum – An Evaluation of the Abacus Curriculum Enrichment Programme. It aimed at understanding the impact on children, and the programme’s unique innovation, value-addition and relevance.

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Research Unit, Department of Education, Bombay Municipal Corporation, 1997

In 1996-1997, during the Second phase of the Project when the programme was extended to 25 MMC schools and 35 NFE centres, an evaluation study was conducted in D and G-South wards.

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UNICEF, Study commissioned in 180 MMC Schools, Mumbai, 2004

From 2001-2005 UNICEF supported the expansion of Sangati to 180 MMC schools in G (North) and G (South) wards and commissioned an independent study in 2003-04 titled ‘The Impact of Sangati on children – a study of Teacher's Perceptions’ to understand the replicability of the project in MMC schools.

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UNICEF, Study commissioned in rural schools, 2004

UNICEF also supported an independent study to understand the impact of Sangati being implemented as part of its ‘Life skills Enhancement Programme’ in District schools in rural Maharashtra in 2004. The programme was used in 120 Zilla Parishad schools of Umarkhed Block, Yavatmal district.

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The Centre for Study of Sociology in Education, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, 2009

Owing to the response to the Sangati programme during its earlier phases, the Department of Education MMC gave permission to expand it to all its upper-primary schools. As Sangati spread to all 905 MMC schools an independent evaluation study was conducted in 2008-09 to study its efficacy in the large and complex web of MMC schools. It is titled Assessing the impact of Sangati in Municipal Schools of Mumbai: Perspectives, perceptions and processes.

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Impact Analysis of AVEHI ABACUS PROJECT’s Saath Saath Programme in Lalitpur, Uttar Pradesh, (India), 2017. By Kishorkumar Darak, Research Consultant

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