Assessing the impact of clean lighting on education and gender: case study of residential schools and villages in Koraput under LaBL
Student name: Ms Upasana Jaipuria
Guide: Dr Smriti Das
Year of completion: 2012
Host Organisation: LaBL, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Ms Smita Rakesh
Abstract: Solar lighting facility has been provided to residential schools and villages of Koraput.
Taking Koraput as a case study, an attempt has been made to understand the impact of lighting on
education, the influence of external factors and a gendered analysis of this impact in the above
context. Solar lighting in residential schools and villages has impacted education in both quantitative
and qualitative ways. Greater number of hours devoted to studies, increased interest of students to
study due to better illumination and health benefits of using a clean lighting source was seen in both
schools and villages. An improvement in performance of students in annual exams as a result of
above factors is also recorded. In residential schools, there has been increase in participation of
residents in competitive exams. Pedagogic improvements post lighting has led to active learning
environment improving the quality of education. In villages, opening of evening coaching classes
post solar lighting is seen.
In spite of roadblocks to education especially for females, lighting is also seen influencing gender in
a positive way. Girl’s performance in residential schools and villages has improved. Their
participation in competitive exams has increased. A female school cabinet has been formed in
residential schools to which an office of alok mantri responsible for maintaining the solar charging
station, has started. The village women have been positively influenced by lighting on domestic,
economic as well as social front. The extra money earned due to their increased participation in
economic activities is being invested in children’s education creating a positive externality for
education. Post intervention, some women have demanded opening of adult literacy classes in their
village itself.
At the same time, various infrastructural, institutional and socio-cultural barriers need to be
addressed for this impact of lighting to reach to the next level. A need to improve the hard and soft
infrastructure is observed across all schools. In villages, even after VEC formation, a lack in its
ownership towards education was observed. Socio-cultural factors like need for multi lingual
education, awareness about value of education and customs like early marriages of girls need
attention.
Key words: Lighting, education, gender, residential schools, villages.
