Samsung Smart Class initiative provideschildren in rural India the skills and trainingnecessary for participating in a digital future while improving the quality of education
Samsung India Electronics was today recognized for its Smart Class initiative at the 5thAsian Customer Engagement Forum (ACEF) Award for Excellence in Marketing, Branding & CSR. The Samsung Smart Class initiative was awarded under the Best Education / Scholarship Program category in the Award which saw over 325 entries from countries such as Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and India.
Mr. Rajiv Mishra, Vice President, Media and CSR, Samsung India Electronics, said, “The Samsung Smart Class initiative is aimed at providing talented but less-privileged students with the skills and familiarity needed with technology that is necessary in a digital world. The recognition that the Smart Class initiative has received since its inception in 2013 spurs us to continue expanding the program to reach more students across the country, and strengthen the foundation of Digital India.”
Samsung Smart Class is the company’s flagship CSR initiative in India, premised on thebelief that its CSR activities should reflect its expertise in technology and innovation. A Samsung Smart Class provides students an interactive digital environment that helps themavail the opportunities that the Internet providesfor learning and retaining information better.The initiative is in partnership with the JawaharNavodayaVidyalaya, a system of alternate schools run by the NavodyaVidyalayaSamiti, under the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.
Smart Classes are equipped with Samsung whiteboards, laptops, printers, Wi-Fi connectivity, educational content and power backup facilities In addition to the hardware, Samsung also provides training to teachers to ensure optimal utilization of the features of the Smart Class. Regular hardware checks through annual maintenance contracts and servicing arealso provided for smooth functioning of the digital classroom.
Over 120,000 students in 200 schools across India have benefitted through the initiative. By the end of 2015, Samsung will have added 173 new Smart Classes, enabling students in a total of 373 JNV schools to experience digitally interactive “smart” learning. Teachers, who teach using Samsung Smart Classes, testify to increased attention and participation from students during lessons, as well as higher familiarity among students in using laptops and the Internet to search for information and learn better.
The ACEF Award for Excellence in Marketing, Branding & CSR is organized by Customer Engagement Forum (CEF), one of Asia’s largest communities of customer engagement and advocacy professionals. The Award seeks to acknowledge andencourage marketers and CSR practitioners to uncover new ways to create and sustain long-term stakeholder engagement.