Education Voucher Project :

Pratigya, in partnership with generous donors, runs Project Education Voucher – an innovative program with the aim of achieving Right to Choose School with Right to Education for each and every child of our society.

The project is Jharkhand’s first privately funded program that provides financial assistance to parents for sending their children to schools of their choice. An education voucher is a special coupon  given to needy children whose parents are free to redeem it in any school of their choice. Vouchers are awarded to the students from Class I through V, after which it can be extended till standard 10th, provided they meet the requirements of the project.

The project was started in 2008 with 40 students  at a slum in Ranchi with  Voucher covering  the fees of the school, up to a maximum of Rs. 3,600/- per annum.  In 2011 the number of Vouchers given to children has risen to 130 and the amount of Voucher has gone upto Rs 4,500 per annum per child. In certain circumstances the books are also provided by Pratigya, to a few extremely poor and needy students, subject to the availability of funds.

The core  of this project or Education Voucher system is the freedom to the children and the parents to choose the School. If they are unsatisfied with the present school or for any other reason  if they want to change the school, they are free to do so. In this system money follows the child, not the school, as this Voucher can be redeemed in any school. This system makes the schools directly accountable to the parents since they are paying through the voucher.

Education Voucher Distribution Ceremony 
Pratigya Distributed Education Voucher to 125 students

26th June, 2011 , Ranchi

Pratigya organised Education Voucher Distribution Ceremony at MLA House, Vidhan Sabha , Ranchi. In this event Education Voucher were distributed to 125 students, mainly tribal and girls from Jagannathpur slum of Ranchi .  Each education voucher is worth Rs 18,000 (Rs 4,500  per annum per student for a period of 4 years ).

Education Voucher  is a special coupon worth Rs 4,500 per annum per student , provided by Pratigya. Education Voucher can be redeemed at any school chosen by the Parent. Parent can take this coupon to any school under the Project and get their ward admitted. Instead of depositing the fees, parents  have to deposit  the voucher in the school  on the monthly basis. On the basis of voucher submitted  by the parents, Schools can get the reimbursement from Pratigya  covering  school fees upto Rs 4,500 (Four thousand five hundred) per annum. Initially this voucher is given for 4 years which can be renewed till the student finishes class 10th depending on  certain conditions.

If the parent and student are dissatisfied with the school, voucher system allows them to change the school. The same voucher can be used in any other  school chosen by them. This system makes the School directly accountable to parents since they are paying for the education through the voucher.  Under this system money follows the student as money goes with them to whichever school they choose.
This project was started in 2008 with 40 students and voucher worth Rs 3,600 per child per annum.  The schools where these children are studying with Education Vouchers are- YMCA, Prabhat Tara, Birsa Shiksha Niketan and Yogada Satsang Vidyalaya.

On this occasion distinguished guests from the state graced the event. They not only endorsed the voucher idea but also suggested that state government should undertake similar project atleast on pilot basis.

Speaker of  Jharkhand Legislative Assembly ,  Mr C P Singh  was the Chief guest for ceremony. He appreciated the idea of Education voucher and advocated that children from  socially and economically backward  section should have larger accessibility  to better private schools. He appealed the parents with inspiring quote “Aadhi roti khayenge, fir bhi bache ko padhayenge” – Will eat half bread but educate our children.

Mr Ajay Nath Shahdeo, Deputy Mayor , Ranchi Municipal Corporation while his speech as Chief Speaker of the event, endorsed the concept of Education Voucher. He went to the extent saying “Jharkhand government should take inspiration from Pratigya”. He said that, at least in those areas where government schools are far and distant, government should start piloting Education voucher project. He inspired the students  who got  Education Voucher saying  “Now  the expansion of Voucher project depends on you, if you study and perform well , government will be bound to take up this project.”

 Prof. Dr Kamal K Bose from St Xavier’s college appealed the politicians and the academicians to support this idea and get it implemented by the government in the educationally most backward areas of Jharkhand immediately.  He called the members of Pratigya to take this movement ahead to more areas and large number of students.

Mr Leo D Sena, Director Anglo Mania and Patron of Pratigya spoke about the abysmally poor condition of the education in many of the government schools of the town which he himself observes closely and which is even reported by media very often . He discussed about the level of corruption  and inefficiency in this system and termed Education Voucher as a Revolutionary idea to save our fast degrading government school system.

Following the Voucher Distribution ceremony , cultural programme was staged by the students.  The event was convened in the presence of media , guests and friends of Pratigya. 

Our Principles :

1) Scholarship on need;not on Merit Scholarship at standard I is completely on the basis of financial need of the parents and not at all on the merit level. Pratigya wants that every child should get a fair chance to grow and blossom and it believes that using ‘so called’ academic merit at this tender age as a filter is gross injustice to these children. If the number of applications is more than the available grant, then the beneficiaries are selected on the basis of lottery done in presence of the applicants.

2) Regular Assessment test and Counseling Quarterly assessment tests are conducted by Pratigya, for all the students receiving scholarship. The result of which is also communicated to the donors sponsoring the yearly fees of the children. Time to time counseling of students, as well as their parents, is also provided for better results and a prosperous future. So Act today, Shape tomorrow. Support the Voucher Project and save the future of millions of children.

Pratigya is an independent youth movement to ensure Right to Quality School Education for each and every child and mobilise youth to action.