Two Decades Of Empowerment Of Girls By Kasturba Gandhi Schools In Vizianagaram
The study noted that the residential model fosters self-confidence, leadership and decision-making skills among students.
Visakhapatnam: The Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) concept has helped empower large numbers of girls in Vizianagaram district in the last two decades.
A study conducted by A Rama Rao, additional project coordinator of Samagra Shiksha in the district, showed that 508 former students from 26 KGBV schools in the district have secured employment across 76 job types in 50 different sectors since the program's inception in 2004.
"This represents the first such comprehensive tracking study so far. There are such KGBVs across 800 districts," MSME minister Kondapalli Srinivasa Rao stated here on Tuesday.
"The findings show that 25 per cent of these alumni now work in government departments, 73.6 per cent have joined the private sector, and 1.5 per cent are working in other fields."
The study, conducted between April 5 and 21 this year, provides insights into the “transformative power of residential education for girls from marginalized backgrounds in rural India,” he said.
The KGBV scheme, launched in 2004 under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, was designed to bridge gender disparities in education. It helps girls from marginalized and poor communities. In Vizianagaram, for instance, this vision has yielded impressive results.
Rama Rao told Deccan Chronicle, "What we're seeing is not just academic achievement, but complete life transformation. These schools have created safe environments where girls can focus on their studies without the burden of early marriage or domestic responsibilities."
The study noted that the residential model fosters self-confidence, leadership and decision-making skills among students. Alumni reported that the peer support networks formed at KGBV schools helped them develop emotional resilience, while access to sports, cultural activities and counseling promoted all-round growth.
The minister said the case study would be presented to education minister Nara Lokesh and chief minister Chandrababu Naidu. State comprehensive education project director Srinivasa Rao will take the study forward to cover all KGBV alumni across Andhra Pradesh.
The study also cited areas for improvement including a need for enhanced digital literacy among teachers, better English communication training and more structured career guidance programmes.
