August 30, 2024, India: Verizon India guided by UN SDG 4- to provide access to high-quality education to all, has commenced the School Transformation Program (STP). Mr. Shankar Arumugavelu- Executive Vice President, and President of Verizon Global Services inaugurated a new STEM lab & SMART classroom in a government school in Chennai. Verizon India initiated STP as one of its flagship CSR projects in 2023 in partnership with India Literacy Project (ILP) – an NGO that works with children in government schools.
Through this initiative over 13,000 students in 38 Government schools across Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru can now experience digital training and access science-based course modules. The program is designed specially to kindle the students’ passion to choose STEM-based careers in the future.
Verizon also collaborated with ILP to curate a digital curriculum for students who can now access digital content and enjoy the plethora of learning activities built on an open platform. Meanwhile, the teachers are aided with an enriching curriculum to make STEM-focused learning easy. The program aims to increase digital proficiency among the students from rural government schools. The objective is to reduce the digital divide between rural and urban students with self-learning modules. Students can learn coding and experience concepts like artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
Verizon India first partnered with ILP in 2019 for the “Lab-in-a-Box” program, donating STEM Science Kits to 450+ Government schools. Over 120,000 students across Tamil Nādu, Telangana, and Karnataka benefitted through the program.