Tata Steel in partnership with ASPIRE, a Delhi based NGO working in the field of education is opening 7 Non-Residential Bridge Course (NRBC) Centres in Noamundi and Jagannathpur blocks in the West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand.

The NRBC Centre at Mundasai, Mahudi in Noamundi block was inaugurated by Mr Pankaj Satija, General Manager (Ore Mines & Quarries), Tata Steel today. This was followed by opening of NRBC Centre at Kuchibeda, Kotgarh. The NRBC Centres at Badapaseya, Dudhbila, Kiriburu, Gua and Padapahar will be inaugurated subsequently by March 24, 2017.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Satija said that education is the basic necessity of life and people of Noamundi and Jagganathpur blocks should make best use of this opportunity offered to them. Among those present on the occasion were Ms Runa Rajeev Kumar, Head Corporate Communications (Raw Materials), Tata Steel, Mr Parvez Alam, Senior Executive (Education),Tata Steel Rural Development Society (TSRDS), Mr Mahesh Kumar,Project Manager, ASPIRE, Ms Malti Laguri, Munda from Mahudi Village and others.

The objective of the NRBC Centre is to identify the school dropout children in the blocks and mainstream them in the formal school system. This is done after addressing their learning gaps in a one year program where they are taught in the centre by the trained ASPIRE teachers. As of now, more than 350 ‘out of school children’ have been identified in Noamundi and Jagannathpur blocks. These centres’ will serve as a bridging point between school and community for those children who are ‘out of school’ or involved in child labour.

ASPIRE is engaged in the field of education and its main goal is to improve government school education and work hard to achieve common school system in the country. The programme is being implemented by TSRDS in partnership with ASPIRE.