Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

British Asian Trust initiative to focus on education for 4 million kids in India

This five-year project, focusing on children in grades 1-3, has garnered a significant $20 million investment from a consortium of 26 partners

British Asian Trust initiative to focus on education for 4 million kids in India

The British Asian Trust is spearheading a major educational initiative, LiftEd, aiming to enhance foundational literacy and numeracy skills for four million Indian children.

This five-year project, focusing on children in grades 1-3, has garnered a significant $20 million investment from a consortium of 26 partners, including notable names like the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, Reliance Foundation, and Standard Chartered Bank, a press release from the British Asian Trust said.


LiftEd, short for Learning and Innovation in Foundational Literacy and Numeracy to Transform Education, aligns with the Indian government's emphasis on foundational literacy and numeracy as essential for further learning.

The initiative plans to collaborate with state governments and schools, offering educator training and deploying digital solutions through an EdTech Accelerator to support at-home learning, particularly for students from low-income communities.

The British Asian Trust, established in 2007 by King Charles III (then The Prince of Wales) alongside leading British Asian business figures, has been a frontrunner in the realm of social finance.

The Trust's involvement in social finance initiatives has received commendation and support from The King. With a history of successful collaborations and innovative social finance approaches, the Trust is poised to lead LiftEd effectively.

LiftEd is a progression from the Trust's earlier $11 million Quality Education India Development Impact Bond (QEI DIB), launched in 2018 with the support of the UK government's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

This bond, the largest of its kind in education at the time, significantly enhanced learning outcomes for 200,000 Indian students over four years.

Additionally, the Trust is engaged in a Skill Impact Bond in India, aimed at addressing skill gaps and employment challenges.

Richard Hawkes, Chief Executive of the British Asian Trust, expressed his enthusiasm for LiftEd, drawing on the Trust's seven years of experience in social finance. He said, "Having pioneered the use of social finance in South Asia over the last 7 years, we continue to cement our position as a global leader in this field."

He emphasised that LiftEd builds upon the Trust's previous successes, especially the QEI DIB, and is set to make a significant impact on the foundational learning skills of 4 million children, thus laying a strong foundation for their future success.

More For You

british-muslims-iStock

The study noted that this identification was not due to any doctrinal obligation but was influenced by the perception that many Muslims do not feel fully accepted as British. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Majority of British Muslims identify by faith first, study finds

A STUDY by the Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life (IIFL) has found that most British Muslims identify primarily with their religion rather than their nationality.

The research, based on a survey of 815 British Muslim adults by Whitestone Insight, revealed that 71 per cent of respondents identified as Muslim first, while 27 per cent identified as British, English, or Scottish first.

Keep ReadingShow less
Car Tax Changes: EV Owners Now Required to Pay for the First Time

Owners of electric vehicles registered on or after 1 April 2025 will pay £10 for the first year, followed by the standard VED rate of £195 from the second year. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Car tax changes take effect: EV owners to pay for first time

FROM today, 1 April 2025, electric cars, vans, and motorcycles in the UK will be subject to Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for the first time.

The change, introduced in the 2022 Autumn Statement by former Conservative Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, aims to make motoring taxation fairer.

Keep ReadingShow less
scotland-minimum-wages-iStock

Full-time workers on the National Living Wage will receive an annual pay increase of £1,400 in real terms. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Wage increase takes effect for thousands of workers in Scotland

HUNDREDS of thousands of workers in Scotland will see a pay increase as new National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates take effect from Tuesday.

The changes will benefit approximately 220,000 people, according to STV News.

Keep ReadingShow less
uk-energy-bill-iStock

Water bills, energy prices, and council tax are rising, while the minimum wage has also increased (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

April bill increases put financial strain on single parents

A RANGE of essential household bills are increasing from April, with Citizens Advice warning that single parents will be among the hardest hit.

Water bills, energy prices, and council tax are rising, while the minimum wage has also increased, BBC reported.

Keep ReadingShow less
Netflix drama Adolescence to be screened in UK schools
Stephen Graham and Owen Cooper in 'Adolescence'
Netflix

Netflix drama Adolescence to be screened in UK schools

THE NETFLIX drama Adolescence will be shown in UK secondary schools as part of efforts to address harmful online influences on young boys, officials announced on Monday.

The show has sparked debate over the impact of toxic and misogynistic content on the internet. Prime minister Keir Starmer met the show's creators, charities, and young people at Downing Street, calling the initiative an important step in starting discussions about the content teenagers are exposed to online.

Keep ReadingShow less