On most mornings in Indore's Sandipani Naveen Malav Kanya School, the assembly ground feels like a small town square. Girls lead prayers and read the news while classmates share what they've learned. In a nearby classroom, students queue outside the computer lab, ready to code, create animations, and build games on tablets.
This is a government school. It has no premium fees. Yet families now choose it over private alternatives.
The shift began when Principal Ramkrishna Kori partnered with Peepul Foundation, an organization focused on strengthening public education systems. Kori came from a traditional teaching background—textbooks, blackboards, conventional routines. Digital learning and student-led activities felt unfamiliar. But something shifted during training sessions and through detailed handbooks. "Once we went through Peepul's training, I realised how much better things could be. Slowly, my mindset changed," he says.
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Peepul's work began in 2015 after research revealed a stubborn gap: India had solved enrollment, but learning inside classrooms still felt distant. When the pandemic forced schools to distribute tablets and data packs, teachers faced a new question: how do you teach digital literacy to children who've never used a computer?
The answer was a three-part curriculum—block-based programming, digital safety, and basic computer skills—designed for students with zero home access to technology. The programme introduced coding through Scratch, a child-friendly platform, making it approachable rather than intimidating.
But the work extended beyond screens. Peepul wove activities throughout school life: 'Bal Sansad' (a student parliament where children campaign and run elections), 'Srijan' (where students showcase science models and coding projects to parents), and 'Anand Sabha' (an assembly focused on emotional awareness). "The focus isn't only on coding," says Shubham Singh, the programme manager. "These events bring parents in, keep students excited, and encourage them to show up consistently."
The Numbers
In Madhya Pradesh, where many students had never touched a computer, the results are striking. Seventy percent of students now confidently create coding projects. More than 400 participated in the 'Hour of Code' event. One student from a rural school in Sagar placed 39th worldwide at the International Kids Coding Championship.
Teachers transformed alongside students. When the programme started, only 3% of teachers understood block-based coding. After two years, the average teacher assessment score reached 70%.
What began as a 100-school pilot has now expanded to 3,700 schools across Madhya Pradesh—a scale shift that reflects something deeper: a change in how communities see government schools. Local leaders, including MLAs, now call Principal Kori asking for admission seats. Parents who once doubted public education now attend assessment events with pride, watching their children explain coding projects.
"When you believe that every child in a government school deserves the same quality of education as any private school student, your actions start aligning with that belief," says Urmila Chowdhury, co-founder and education director at Peepul. "That's when change truly begins."
The school's journey received national recognition through the FICCI ARISE Excellence Award in 2025. For Kori, it felt like confirmation that something meaningful had taken root. What matters now is sustaining it—and the model suggests it's possible when teachers feel supported and children are encouraged to explore.
