Piramal Foundation for Education Leadership Signs MoU with Emory University
Gurugram: Piramal Foundation for Education Leadership (PFEL), the education initiative of Piramal Foundation has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Emory University, USA to build the capacity of Educators, including Headmasters, Teachers and Government Officials, to implement the Social Emotional Ethical (SEE) Learning curriculum in Government schools across India.
PFEL will pilot the SEE Learning curriculum across 5,000 Government schools, to impact 5 lac children across Gujarat, Jharkhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, in 2 years.
This MoU was signed during a 4 day workshop conducted by Emory University for PFEL, from June 17 – 20, 2019. Through this workshop, Emory University will train and develop over 70 Learning Certified Facilitators from amongst 1500+ PFEL employees, for the next 6-8 months, who will then implement the SEE Learning curriculum by training Headmasters, Teachers and Government Officials.
Mr. Tempa Tsering, Country Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama; Dr. Lobsang Tenzin Negi, Executive Director, Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics, Emory University; Aditya Natraj, CEO, Piramal Foundation for Education Leadership and Monal Jayaram, Director, Center of Excellence, Piramal Foundation for Education Leadership graced the occasion.
Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Aditya Natraj, CEO, Piramal Foundation for Education Leadership, said “PFEL’s partnership with Emory University brings together two unique organisations that have the potential to transform the education ecosystem in India. Through the implementation of the Social Emotional Ethical Learning curriculum, PFEL aims to move from demonstration to advocacy by building the capacity of its 1500+ employees and impacting 5 million children by 2025.”
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Lobsang Tenzin Negi, Executive Director, Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics, Emory University, home of the SEE Learning™ program, said, “Emory University’s Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics have developed the SEE Learning™ program grounded in the idea that education can, and indeed should, be expanded to foster the values and competencies that lead to greater happiness for both individuals and society at large. We are delighted that Piramal Foundation for Education Leadership has taken the lead in India, and with its presence across 14 states and over 15,000 schools, has the ability to transform education at scale.”
Grounded in Compassion and Informed by Science, the SEE Learning™ Program’s uniqueness lies in its range and scientific approach, offering a development-appropriate curriculum for early elementary, late elementary and middle school. Important elements of the curriculum include attention training, compassion and ethical discernment, systems thinking and resilience and trauma informed practice. The curriculum builds on expertise from multiple disciplines such as Emotional Intelligence, Neuro Science, Development Psychology, Education and Contemplative Science.
The signing of this MoU follows shortly after the Global Launch of Social, Emotional, and Ethical Learning (SEE Learning™) hosted by The Dalai Lama Trust, Emory University and Vana Foundation in New Delhi, India on April 4-6, 2019. His Holiness Dalai Lama, Mr. Ajay Piramal, Chairman, Piramal Group and Aditya Natraj, CEO, Piramal Foundation for Education Leadership graced the occasion amongst other dignitaries.