The Education Trust - E.G. West Scholarships

The Educare Trust is a non-profit agency registered under the Indian Trust Act, 1882. It was formed in 2002 by Professor James Tooley of the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne, England, and other members associated with private unaided schools in India. The mission of the scholarship fund is to help economically deprived children in rural and urban India to pursue education in private unaided schools. More than 300 children are currently benefiting from the support of the Educare Trust, which is seeking to expand its mission to many more families.

Why help the poor to attend private unaided schools?

A great deal of research now shows that importance of the private unaided sector in meeting the educational needs of the poor, in India, and other developing countries. One of the major reasons is the problem of teacher absenteeism and low level of teaching activity in government schools. The influential “Probe Report” found that in only 53% of government schools in four Indian states was there any teaching going on at all! Indeed, in the government schools for low-income families, it reported that ‘generally, teaching activity has been reduced to a minimum, in terms of both time and effort – it has become a way of life in the profession’. Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen also reported a high incidence of teacher absenteeism in government schools in research carried out by the Pratichi Trust in West Bengal. And the Oxfam Education Report gives teacher absenteeism in government schools as a major reason why poor households choose to send their children to the private alternative.

Private unaided schools in India

Our research has shown a thriving private unaided sector in India. Many schools charge fees in the range Rs. 50/- to Rs. 150/- ($1 to $3), per month, serving very low income families. Significantly, we found that many schools are themselves providing free and concessionary places for the poorest families – on average 15% of all places, taking 7% of total revenue. By funding scholarships through the Educare Trust, we can not only help the poorest of the poor, but also relive this burden from the schools, helping them to invest in improved facilities.

Why support the E. G. West Scholarships?

The Educare Trust is the only foundation committed to helping the poor to achieve self-reliance through accessing private education. Professor E. G. West was a renowned British educationalist, who conducted seminal research on private education as a vehicle from helping the poor to help themselves, in Britain, the USA and developing countries. The Scholarships are named in memory of his enduring influence.

Parents speak for themselves

“The Scholarships have helped my children attain their education without financial hindrance”, says Padma, mother of Latha and Anitha, receiving scholarships for 3rd and 4th standard respectively. Padma works as a servant maid, earning only Rs. 400/- ($8.80) per month. Her husband earns about Rs. 50/- per day ($1.10), but is an alcoholic and spends most of his earnings on drink. The family reside in a slum area, close to the schools, in a single room.
“The Scholarships reduce the burden from my shoulder… My family is grateful to the Educare Trust for funding my child’s education”, says Varalaxmi, mother of Girisha, a 10th Standard student. Both Varalaxmi and her husband are illiterate, but want the best for their children. She is a housewife, and her husband an unemployed carpenter.

This scholarship helps us a lot. Thanks to the donor”, says Md. Abdul Karim Khan,who works in a binding shop, earning about Rs. 2,000 ($45) per month. He pays school fees for five of his children, and the scholarship is paid for his youngest daughter, Vahida, who studies in 3rd Standard.

"This Scholarship is a very good scheme for people like us”, says Saleem, father of five girls. He wants to educate all of his daughters, to give them chances that he and his wife did not have. He works as a watchman at a Maternity Nursing Home, which provides him with the single room in which he lives with all his family.

How to donate?

$36 will fund one child's scholarship for a whole year! That's $3 per month!

To make donations, please send cheques payable to The Educare Trust to:

Professor James Tooley,
E.G. West Centre,
School of Education
University of Newcastle
Newcastle, NE2 2PJ