Muktangan

Muktangan, an initiative of Paragon Charitable Trust, is a pioneering educational programme with an

innovative model, working in close partnership with the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai and a
number of NGOs across India. Muktangan executes their programmes with support from other partners
like Maharashtra Dyslexia Association, Ummeed Child Development and Remedial Centre, Tata Institute
of Social Sciences, Nirmala Niketan, Teach for India Programme and Absolute Return for Kids' School
Leaders India Programme.
Educational philosophy
To evolve sustainable, replicable inclusive models of quality child-centred teacher education and school
programs in partnership with marginalised communities and to advocate them to the larger system. An
inclusive, empowered world in which all live in harmony with freedom of expression, respect and
integrity.
History
Muktangan began in March 2003 with the training of 7 women from low income communities in G South
Ward (Worli and Lower Parel areas) of Mumbai in a well researched child-initiated pre-school pedagogy.
No space being available in the local area, six classrooms were rented in the local Globe Mill Passage
Municipal School. Thus began the initial relationship of Muktangan with the Municipal Corporation of
Greater Mumbai (MCGM) providing them the opportunity to witness and understand the Muktangan
curriculum and child-centered methodology in the preschool.
Within the year, responding to the demand by parents and the local community for continuing the
methodology beyond preschool, the MCGM who were already familiar with Muktangans effectiveness in
the preschool, offered as a pilot project their English medium school in the Globe Mill Passage Municipal
School to be run by Muktangan on its unique methodology. A public-private partnership was set up
between Muktangan and the MCGM who have been enthusiastic, cooperative partners from that day
onwards.
Subsequently, having seen the success of the model, the MCGM requested us to set up six additional
English medium schools in G South Ward of Mumbai. The initial 3-month pre-service training
programme for local women had by now become a full one year intensive course followed by an initial
year of residency.
Under MOUs between the MCGM and Muktangan, all 7 schools are adding a higher standard each year
until they all reach Std X for the SSC Board Exams the first school in 2013 and the other 6 in 2017. The
original school will be going into Standard 8 in June 2011 and the remaining 6 schools into Standard 4,
covering 2000 children with an additional 300 children being added every year thereafter.