At a recent workshop conducted by ILP in collaboration with UST, ILP facilitators and primary & middle school maths teachers from 10 Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) schools experienced exactly that—learning math through doing. Using Pratham’s Akshara Maths Kits, the session focused on turning abstract ideas into something you can touch, test, and truly understand.

The excitement in the room was hard to miss. Teachers appreciated how simple, practical classroom techniques can shift maths from “fear” to “aha!”—making lessons more engaging for students and more joyful for educators.

What makes this approach even more powerful is the ecosystem behind it:

• Ganitha Kalika Andolana (GKA), is an activity-based maths program implemented primarily in government primary schools (Grades 1–5) designed to help children understand math concepts rather than memorize procedures.
• Akshara Foundation (https://akshara.org.in), an NGO dedicated to building strong numeracy skills through activity-based learning
• The Akshara Maths Kit, paired with the Building Blocks App (https://www.learningcabinet.org/tool/building-blocks/)—a free Android app for Grades 1–8 with 400+ intuitive math games, aligned to the National Curriculum Framework (NCF), available in nine regional languages, and usable offline.

When teachers have the right tools and confidence, math stops being about memorizing steps—and starts becoming about thinking, reasoning, and discovery.

Thank you Pushpa Thantry and Yogitha for the engaging session.

#GovernmentSchools #EducationForAll #HandsOnLearning #TeacherEmpowerment #Numeracy #GanithaKalikaAndolana