Himachal Signs MoU with DEVI Sansthan to Roll Out ALfA Programme Across State
2 min read
Shimla, July 25 : In a major step towards strengthening Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN), the Government of Himachal Pradesh has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with DEVI Sansthan (Dignity Education Vision International), Lucknow, to implement the ALfA (Accelerating Learning for All) Programme across the state.
The MoU was signed at Hotel Holiday Home, Shimla, in the presence of Education Minister Rohit Thakur. The agreement was formalized by Education Secretary Rakesh Kanwar and Dr. Sunita Gandhi, CEO of DEVI Sansthan. Senior officials from the Education Department and Samagra Shiksha, including Rajesh Sharma, Dr. Sunita Singh, Ashish Kohli, B.R. Sharma, Jeevan Singh Negi and Yogesh Chauhan, attended the event.
Speaking on the occasion, Education Minister Rohit Thakur said that the ALfA methodology had earlier been introduced on a pilot basis in selected education blocks of Shimla and Solan districts, where it delivered encouraging improvements in students’ learning outcomes. Based on the success of the pilot project, the state government has now decided to extend the programme to all schools across Himachal Pradesh.
He emphasized that the government’s priority is to ensure quality education for every child and highlighted Himachal Pradesh’s achievements in national assessments such as PARAKH, PGI and the ASER Report. The minister added that the partnership with DEVI Sansthan reflects the government’s commitment to collaborating with leading educational institutions to further enhance learning outcomes.
Education Secretary Rakesh Kanwar urged teachers to integrate ALfA into their regular classroom teaching rather than treating it as a standalone project. He described ALfA as a structured learning package designed to rapidly strengthen children’s foundational reading, writing and numeracy skills, enabling them to achieve class-level competencies and bridge learning gaps effectively.
Samagra Shiksha Director Rajesh Sharma said the decision to implement ALfA statewide was taken after the Education Minister personally reviewed the programme in Lucknow. He noted that the initiative aligns with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 by promoting joyful, activity-based and play-based learning. Schools where ALfA has already been implemented have reported improved classroom engagement and significant gains in learning outcomes.
Director of Elementary Education Ashish Kohli said the programme has proven highly effective in schools where it has been introduced and expressed confidence that its statewide implementation would further strengthen students’ foundational learning.
Dr. Sunita Gandhi, Founder and CEO of DEVI Sansthan, appreciated the support of Education Minister Rohit Thakur in expanding the programme across Himachal Pradesh. She expressed confidence that the initiative would significantly improve foundational literacy and numeracy among school children throughout the state.
