Gurugram, Haryana:
- 100,000 children in
four states to benefit from the initiative.
- Focus on girl child
coming from most marginalized groups.
The BMW
Group and UNICEF today announced their partnership in India, aiming to
transform the educational landscape for 100,000 children in four states with a
focus on foundational learning and STEM (science, technology, engineering and
maths) skills from early years through adolescence. The partnership will
provide access to quality STEM education to adolescent girls from Kasturba
Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas and Tribal Ashramshalas, belonging to the most
marginalized groups in hard-to-reach rural areas in states of Assam, Jharkhand,
Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
The
partnership is part of a global long-term partnership between the BMW Group and
UNICEF to reach more than 10 million children and young people each year through
education and training, including learning in STEM subjects in five countries
where BMW has large operations, including South Africa, Brazil, Mexico, and
Thailand.
In
India, BMW and UNICEF will focus on nurturing foundational literacy and
numeracy skills in rural primary schools to build a solid cognitive foundation
for children. As they progress into adolescence, children will have access to
innovative, engaging learning experiences through low-cost maker spaces to
nurture curiosity, creativity, and imagination in young minds.
Together
with the Government of India, and the four state governments, BMW and UNICEF
aim to create an inclusive learning environment that supports national goals
for gender equality and education.
“Current
employment opportunities come with greater demands for competencies in STEM.
Girls particularly miss out on opportunities to learn and practice STEM. Thus,
UNICEF is proud to support building a strong foundation for critical thinking
in the early years of learning. The BMW-UNICEF partnership makes this possible
by investing in making education more accessible and inclusive, especially for
girls. The result is greater economic and social self-reliance leading to more
opportunities,” said Cynthia McCaffrey, UNICEF India Representative.
Mr.
Vikram Pawah, President and CEO, BMW Group India said, “BMW Group sees itself
as an integral part of the society and through impactful initiatives, we want
to drive deep-rooted social change. BMW Group’s partnership with UNICEF
harnesses the most powerful tool for empowerment - education. STEM knowledge is
crucial for smart thinking and innovation in today’s competitive,
interconnected environment. Merging this educational initiative with gender
equality and inclusion, especially for underprivileged girl child in India,
enhances its effectiveness exponentially.”
The key-components of
this collaboration include:
Recognizing
that children who struggle with basic reading and numeracy are likely to face
challenges in school, the programme focuses on foundational literacy and
numeracy in primary grades. The initiative provides a strong cognitive base by
facilitating these skills upon which STEM knowledge can be built.
- UNICEF will develop a
tailored curriculum to train teachers, enhancing their skills in STEM
instruction. This training will also address gender stereotypes and focus
on empowering girls through skills development and leadership programmes.
By creating a dedicated cadre of STEM-trained teachers, the BMW-UNICEF
partnership will help elevate the quality of STEM education in classrooms
in the four states.
- The establishment of
low-cost maker spaces within these schools will allow adolescent girls to
explore design thinking, computational analysis, adaptive learning, and
physical computing. These creative hubs aim to make STEM learning hands-on
and engaging, igniting curiosity and encouraging innovative thinking.
BMW Group India
With
BMW, MINI and Motorrad, the BMW Group has its sight set firmly on the premium
sector of the Indian automobile market. Along with cars and motorcycles, BMW
Group's activities in India comprise of financial services for its premium
clientele. BMW India and BMW India Financial Services are 100% subsidiaries of
the BMW Group and are headquartered in Gurgaon (National Capital Region).
BMW
India started operations in 2007. The wide range of its activities include a
manufacturing plant in Chennai, a parts warehouse in Pune, a training centre in
Gurgaon NCR and development of a dealer organisation across major metropolitan
centres of the country. BMW Group Plant Chennai locally produces nine car
models.
MINI
has successfully established itself as a premium small car brand in India since
its launch in January 2012. BMW Motorrad officially started its operations as a
part of the Indian subsidiary of BMW Group in April 2017. With BMW, MINI and
BMW Motorrad, BMW Group India currently has over 80 touchpoints across the
country.
BMW
India Financial Services, a Non-Banking Finance Company (NBFC), started
operations in 2010. It operates with three business lines: Retail Finance,
Commercial Finance and Insurance Solutions (as corporate agents). The services
offered through BMW India Financial Services are significantly valuable to the
premium clientele who require exclusive and flexible financial solutions.
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If you
have any queries, please contact:
Abhay
Dange, Director, Press and Corporate Affairs, BMW Group India
Cell:
+91 9910481013; Tel: + 91 124 4566600; Email: Abhay.Dange@bmw.in
About UNICEF
UNICEF,
the United Nations agency for children, works to protect the rights of every
child, everywhere, especially the most disadvantaged children and in the
toughest places to reach. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we do
whatever it takes to help children survive, thrive, and fulfil their potential.
UNICEF India relies on the support and donations from businesses and
individuals to sustain and expand health, nutrition, water and sanitation,
education, social policy and social protection and child protection programmes
for all girls and boys in India. Support us today to help every child survive
and thrive.
For
more information on UNICEF India and its work visit https://www.unicef.org/india/
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us on X, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn
For
more information please contact:
Alka
Gupta, UNICEF India, agupta@unicef.org 7303259183/ 9810216226 (WA)