Shimla: In a major push to strengthen foundational education, the Himachal Pradesh government on Saturday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Lucknow-based DEVI Sansthan (Dignity Education Vision International) to implement the Accelerating Learning for All (ALfA) Programme across the state.
The agreement was signed at Hotel Holiday Home in Shimla in the presence of Education Minister Rohit Thakur. Education Secretary Rakesh Kanwar and DEVI Sansthan CEO Dr Sunita Gandhi signed the MoU. Senior officials from the Education Department and Samagra Shiksha were also present.
Addressing the gathering, Thakur said the ALfA teaching methodology had earlier been introduced on a pilot basis in selected education blocks of Shimla and Solan, where it delivered encouraging improvements in students’ foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN). Following its success, the government has decided to expand the programme to all schools across Himachal Pradesh.
He said the state government is committed to ensuring quality education for every child and has partnered with leading educational institutions to strengthen learning outcomes. Thakur added that Himachal’s education reforms have earned national recognition through assessments such as PARAKH, PGI and the ASER report.
Education Secretary Rakesh Kanwar urged teachers to integrate ALfA into regular classroom teaching rather than treating it as a standalone project. He said the programme provides a structured learning framework to help children quickly develop reading, writing and basic mathematics skills, enabling them to achieve class-level competencies and bridge learning gaps effectively.
Samagra Shiksha Director Rajesh Sharma said the decision to adopt ALfA statewide followed the Education Minister’s visit to Lucknow to study the model firsthand. He noted that schools where the methodology has already been implemented have reported improved classroom participation and significant gains in learning outcomes. He added that the activity-based and play-based approach of ALfA is in line with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Director of Elementary Education Ashish Kohli said the programme has produced promising results in schools where it has been piloted and expressed confidence that its statewide implementation would further enhance students’ learning.
DEVI Sansthan founder and CEO Dr Sunita Gandhi credited Education Minister Rohit Thakur’s leadership for facilitating the large-scale rollout of the initiative and said the programme would substantially improve children’s foundational literacy and numeracy across Himachal Pradesh.
