BMW and UNICEF join hands to empower children in rural India with STEM skills

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.