Who We Are

OUR MAIN
MISSION AND VISION

The Education Alliance (TEA) is a non-profit organization registered in India to enable partnerships for quality education. TEA aims to build an ecosystem in which governments can strategically partner with mission-oriented non-profit educational organizations to catalyze the transformation in India’s government education system. Our goal is to empower government schools to create the next generation of leaders by transforming the quality of education offered in these schools, and to work with governments for system capacity building. High-quality education would call for a system that is accountable, collaborative, and equitable.

TEA envisions an India where every child, despite their socio-economic backgrounds, can aspire to new heights for a more equitable India.

Theory Of Change

There is a crisis in Indian Education.

Efforts to transform the system have been unable to achieve lasting change.

Misdiagnosis as a ‘Funding’ problem

Evidence from Global Education Systems suggests that merely increasing education budget expenditure does not correspond to an improvement in learning outcomes. Systems with similar budgetary spending show wide variations in performance levels. (Source: McKinsey, OECD)

Focus on ‘surface’ issues, instead of ‘systemic/structural’ problems

Several interventions address ‘surface’ issues, without fixing the basic processes or governance mechanisms of the system. For instance, evidence suggests that doubling teacher salaries has no significant impact on learning outcomes. (Source: JPAL)

Individual, disjointed initiatives with no coordination between them

Several organizations are engaged in individual and disjoint initiatives, instead of part of a coordinated approach with clear goals. For instance, literacy or numeracy programs without providing remediation assistance to students that are lagging behind

Misalignment between the system’s needs and existing interventions

NGO engagement is often supply-driven, and not informed by the proper diagnosis of the system’s needs

Lack of scalability of interventions

NGOs lack the capacity, funding, and other resources to execute their intervention models at scale

Lack of sustainability of interventions

Lack of involvement of real political decision-makers (e.g. CM, Education Minister, Education Secretary). Frequent changes in political/bureaucratic leadership make change unsustainable. Poor data collection and analysis processes make tracking of progress difficult

A complete

Overhaul of the system is required

A long-term, committed approach is required with clear goals through research-backed interventions, and collaboration between all stakeholders, irrespective of political/bureaucratic changes. The overarching goal should be to make the system self-sustaining and make improvement, an organic process

FOUNDATION STRUCTURE

Foundation structure of the system must be strengthened first, before addressing ‘surface’ issues

GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT

The political and bureaucratic will must be inculcated through advocacy.

PARTICIPATION AND COORDINATION

Participation and coordination of all stakeholders are essential. This includes administrative officials, school leadership, non-government bodies, and political leadership.

ACTIONABLE TARGETS, INCENTIVES AND ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES

Must be clearly defined for stakeholders at each level (at the state level, district level, sub-district level, school level).

DIAGNOSIS OF THE STATE'S

Interventions should be based on the diagnosis of the state’s needs and part of a coordinated approach.

TEA APPROACH

A long-term, committed approach is required irrespective of political/bureaucratic changes. Over the years, TEA has evolved its engagement with the government to a 2-pronged approach towards education system transformation

School
Approach

Demonstration of Excellence in Government Schools.

TEA demonstrates impact through innovation with multiple levers:

  • Pedagogy / curriculum
  • School culture
  • Non-academic management practices
  • Teacher training
  • Leadership development

Introduce accountability.
Revive under-performing government schools.
Assess inputs scaleable in the government system.

System
Approach

Long and deep engagement for System Capacity Building – A System Design and Delivery Unit.
TEA works with governments to identify system-level gaps and potential reform areas:

  • Access to well-resourced schools
  • Learning Outcomes improvement
  • Strengthening state delivery: assessment, training, curriculum, pedagogy

A long-term approach to reform and design road-map for medium to long term strategy.
Design & implement interventions for scale and suitability
Robust mechanisms for system alignment, M&E for acceptance, and accountability at all levels.