System Transformation Initiative Under SATH

What is

SATH?

Sustainable Action for Transforming Human Capital (SATH) is a NITI Aayog supported System Reform project, in three states of India, namely Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Orissa. The main objective of the project is to make the government education system in the chosen SATH states responsive, aspirational, and transformational for every child.

The primary aim is to create role model states for education by facilitating the quantitative and qualitative transformation of learning outcomes in elementary and secondary school education in the states. Combining need-based, data-driven assessments, and technology, SATH puts the States at the helm to transform education at scale.

SATH in

MADHYA PRADESH

SATH Phase I

A diagnostic of the status of school education in Madhya Pradesh, focused on establishing the status of access, equity, learning, and governance outcomes in the State.

A systematic review of all existing interventions to improve student learning levels was also undertaken.

Based on this diagnostic and the goals set, a 2-year transformation roadmap had been designed under SATH Phase I for Madhya Pradesh. This roadmap identifies interventions that can contribute to improvements in learning outcomes. This was jointly created by the School Education Department, the Government of Madhya Pradesh, NITI Aayog, and BCG-PFEL (Boston Consulting Group – Piramal Foundation for Education Leadership) for implementation between April 2018 and March 2020. This roadmap includes a variety of interventions affecting, students, schools, teachers, monitoring, training, and governance.

SATH Phase- II

As an extension of Phase-I, TEA is working alongside BCG to support the State on the following initiatives under Phase-II

Well-resourced schools

In-schools improvement

State system
strengthening

However, reforms of this scale do not reach completion in two years. The momentum gained, particularly at the grassroots level, exemplifies a significant need to ramp-up implementation focus to ensure that each initiative is able to drive the intended impact on student outcomes. The team will continue working on the State’s goals to

  • Further improve the learning outcomes of students
  • Improve access to high-quality schools which are aspirational for parents
  • Further strengthening institutions, and governance & accountability mechanisms

In light of the above status and need to continue the program, NITI Aayog has agreed to support the project for two more years under Phase-II.

Collaborating Entities:

NITI Aayog’s SATH project is supported by knowledge partners to facilitate the planning and execution of interventions under SATH. Boston Consulting Group (BCG), a management consulting firm and the Piramal Foundation for Education Leadership (PFEL), a philanthropic firm run by the Piramal Group, were selected through a competitive bidding process to assist the three State.

About BCG:

BCG has been working with five states, supporting them on the systemic, large-scale transformation of their public education system. BCG teams bring unparalleled experience and strategic systems thinking, providing end to end support to Departments of Education on conceptualizing the elements of transformation, designing the different initiatives in a scaleable, sustainable manner, providing handholding/implementation support, and overall ensuring a mission mode focus and accountability towards the achievement of improved learning outcomes across the organization.

About Piramal:

Piramal Foundation for Education Leadership (PFEL) Piramal Foundation for Education Leadership (PFEL) is a change management organization working in the field of education. PFEL started its intervention in 2008 with a focus to improve learning outcomes in public schools in India by supporting Public Education System Leaders to cause self and systemic behavior change through developing leadership skills, improving processes and deploying the technology.

About The Education Alliance:

The Education Alliance will work alongside the BCG State team, to support the education reform process in Madhya Pradesh under the SATH project’s Phase II efforts. The partnership with BCG on large-scale system reform is reflective of TEA’s philosophy i.e. individual, disparate initiatives may not lead to lasting impact without building foundational structures in the system, such as governance, accountability, etc.