Language and Learning Foundation Marks a Decade of Strengthening Foundational Learning in India

VMPL
New Delhi [India], March 1: Language and Learning Foundation (LLF) a non profit organisation headquartered in Delhi commemorated ten years of pioneering work in strengthening Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) at scale across India. The milestone event, held at The Ashok, New Delhi, was graced by an address from Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of Education, Government of India, Sanjay Kumar, IAS, Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education and Vrinda Sarup, Former Secretary, School Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development. The conclave was attended by almost 200 dignitaries from the education sector including partner organisations from corporates and philanthropies. The occasion highlighted LLF's role in operationalising the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and advancing the NIPUN Bharat mission through large-scale system strengthening since inception in 2015.
In his keynote address, Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of Education of India emphasised LLF's alignment with national priorities: "India's multilingualism is our greatest strength--enshrined in our Constitution and championed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji--fueling a unity that propels our progress. Under the transformative NEP 2020 and NIPUN Bharat mission, the government is dedicated to ensure that all children master foundational literacy and numeracy skills using a multilingual approach. He emphasised how language is the foundation of all learning. Global insights from UNESCO and the World Bank show that 35 - 40% of children study through a language that they don't understand. Just as everyone came together to fight for India's independence, we all will have to unite and work together for foundational literacy and numeracy. The Ministry of Education strongly supports the efforts taken by LLF and all stakeholders in operationalising the visionary NEP policy and the NIPUN Bharat Mission.
Sanjay Kumar, IAS, Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, in his address emphasised the transformative impact of language in our nation's journey towards progress. He stated, "As Language and Learning Foundation completes a transformative decade, we reaffirm the NEP 2020's vision: language is the cornerstone of cognition, creativity, and cultural identity. With India's linguistic diversity spanning 121 languages being spoken by more than 10,000 people, a multilingual teaching approach is imperative for achieving the NIPUN Bharat goal. Just as 85% of brain development occurs by age 6, so must we prioritise foundational literacy and numeracy to shape a future of progress. We must all draw from LLF's grassroots expertise to embrace language not just as a tool, but as a shared spirit of expression. Let us foster a society where every voice is heard, every view valued -- building a future that is as progressive as it is compassionate and humane."
Vrinda Sarup, Former Secretary, School Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, in her address, stated "The dedication of LLF, under the leadership of Dhir Jhingran, is truly commendable. Their outcome-driven approach ensures no compromise on process while maintaining a sharp focus on measurable impact. Their work in multilingual education is particularly significant in enabling children to transition smoothly to the medium of instruction. With the continued support of the government, I am confident that LLF will drive meaningful change in education and set new benchmarks for impact-driven initiatives."
Since its inception in 2015, LLF has directly influenced the learning outcomes of 12 lakh children while reaching 1.62 crore students across 2,36,000 schools in 10 states. Through collaborations with state governments, the organisation has enhanced classroom practices for 10.85 lakh teachers, driving measurable improvements in early-grade reading fluency and comprehension and numeracy skills.

The celebration featured the launch of bi-lingual textbooks developed by LLF in Halbi and Hindi for Grades 1 and 2, a Storytelling Festival Document " Kahani Kathan Utsav - A Confluence of Education and Folk Culture" to support multilingual education in Bastar, Chhattisgarh and a Public goods platform created by LLF for the FLN ecosystem by Dharmendra Pradhan, followed by reflections on the organisation's journey by Dr. Dhir Jhingran, Founder and Executive Director of LLF.
Reflecting on the journey, Dr. Jhingran, said "Over the past decade, Language Learning Foundation together with the Government of India, state governments, and other partners, has helped strengthen foundational learning for the most marginalised children by improving classroom practices through an inclusive approach. This collaborative journey is rooted in our belief that a Strong Foundation ensures a Stronger Future for children to succeed in life. As we celebrate this milestone, we reaffirm our commitment to nurturing every child's potential guided by the NEP 2020 and NIPUN Bharat Mission through inclusive and equitable approach - ensuring no child is left behind."
Looking ahead, LLF aims to extend its reach to 3.5 crore children by 2027, with a focus on working with state governments to bring a change at scale through a comprehensive FLN approach. The Foundation's roadmap aligns with India's ambition to universalise foundational learning, ensuring every child attains grade-appropriate competencies in literacy and numeracy.
The evening concluded with an interactive and reflective session with policymakers, educators, and development partners who have contributed to this 10 years journey.
About Language and Learning Foundation
Language and Learning Foundation (LLF) is a system-focused and impact-driven organisation working at scale towards improving the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) outcomes of children in government primary schools in India.
Foundational skills such as reading with comprehension, writing independently, and doing simple subtraction are gateway skills that must be acquired and mastered for all future learning in schools. The World Bank has estimated more than half the children in India at late primary age cannot read and understand grade-appropriate short sentences, also defined as learning poverty.
Similar findings have been reported by the National Achievement Survey (NAS) and the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER). At LLF, we believe that large-scale transformation in the teaching and learning process is required to address this crisis. With the focus on learning at the bottom of the pyramid, LLF works in educationally marginalized areas where children come from families with low literacy levels, deprived social groups, and where home languages are different from school languages.
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