Sangati means togheterness, relevance, harmony. And also, it is the name of the education system launched in 2001 by the Mumbai based NGO Avehi Public Charitable Trust and implemented in 905 public schools in the city.

Sangati is a thought-provoking series of six interactive teaching-learning kits that attempt to make school education more relevant and more vibrant by enhancing the quality of what is taught and how it is taught.

School is supposed to equip children with the knowledge and the skills that they will need to face the world and to build the values that will help them take care of themselves and contribute to the society they live in. This concern is at the heart of the Avehi-Abacus project and Sangati.

The Sangati methodology lays hreat emphasis on te active participation of children and teachers. Group work and discussion help develop skills of communication, critical analysis, problem solving and decision making.

Activities such as drawing, colouring. writing, singing and drama encourage children to explore and express their creativity.

Published in hindi and marathi, each Sangati kit consist of a Manual for Teachers and a set of Visual Arts, that cover six themes: Myself, my body, our needs (1), Our earth and the web of life (2), how societies developed (3), The way we live (4), Understanding change (5) and Preparing for our future (6).

The Sangati series is intended for teachers and children in formal schools and NFE centres. In formal schools, teachers can use it as a foundation course for Classes V-VII. In non-formal schools, it can serve as a post-literacy programme for children between the ages of 10 and 16.

For more information: www.avehiabacus.org