The Dommasandra cluster comprises of 14 schools working in isolation, which led to ineffective utilization of resources, non-existent professional development opportunities within the cluster, and lack of a sense of community amongst teachers. Hence, there was a need for a sustainable solution based on the principles of distributive leadership in order to ensure the smooth and effective functioning of a cluster, which would build capacity and accountability in all the stakeholders associated with all the schools in a cluster.
The Project for Active Cluster Engagement (PACE) program, curated by Mantra4change aims at viewing the Dommasandra cluster as one distributed school. The PACE team works with multiple stakeholders such as teachers, leaders, government functionaries, and community members to establish a collaborative community where there is equal sharing of resources and competencies, which would lead to the development of all schools in the Dommasandra cluster.
Mantra4change provides on field support for implementation as well as design support to streamline action based on need assessment, field observations, and research. Cluster transformation leads (CTL’s) are in charge of:
- Building stakeholder capacity to plan and implement improvement projects.
- Facilitating teacher and leader professional development
- Enabling partnerships with different schools and organizations
- Reviving existing government structures like cluster academic meetings and cluster resource centers.
We also have an open-source online platform 'Shikshalokam', where knowledge resources, process assets, and other material related to PACE are available. This material can be used easily and adapted to different geographies. Thereby making this program sustainable and scalable.
Santosh and Khushboo co-founded Mantra4change with a vision to help underperforming schools provide quality education. Khushboo has expertise in design and development, while Santosh’s expertise lies in program management. Together they have been able to design, execute and constantly develop the PACE framework. Alongside PACE, Mantra4change has 5 other programs focused on individual school development and incubator programs to support and equip like-minded individuals with the skill and knowledge needed to improve the quality of education provided across India.
