Sai’s Angel Foundation (SAF) is a Trust registered under the Bombay Trust Act. It was registered at Vadodara in 2015. The Trust has received 12A and 80G exemptions from the Income Tax department,  Government of India.

The Mission of the Foundation is to serve the less privileged sections of the society, specifically in the fields of Education and Healthcare.

In the initial phase of the journey,  the Foundation has dedicated its attention and resources in the Education field, specifically trying to make a difference in the Primary and Higher Secondary education.

The projects undertaken by the Foundation are designed to improve access to quality education for the students from economically weaker sections,  irrespective of their religion,  caste,  class,  gender and location. Though the focus is on improving the education outcome,  equal emphasis is given on being good human beings,  by inculcating values through value education. The Foundation carries out these improvements under vadiksha SmartCamp programs.

Although based in Vadodara, Gujarat, where the Foundation commenced its operations, the Foundation has started its operation in Kutch,  Gujarat and plans to reach out to other districts and states in a phased manner.

Challenges in Primary Education in India

RTE Anil Boradia Committee Final Report, 2009, SSA.

• The Anil Boradia Committee’s 2009 report highlights significant achievements and challenges within India’s education system under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). As of 2009, thanks to initiatives like SSA, over 98% of children have access to primary schooling within one kilometer of their habitation, and nearly 92% have access to upper primary schools within three kilometers. Gross enrollment ratios have improved across all social categories, primary school dropout rates have decreased, and the transition to upper primary stages has become smoother.
• However, these gains in physical access have not been matched by corresponding improvements in educational quality. Issues persist with teaching materials, training for teachers, assessment systems, classroom practices, and infrastructure. Socially, despite increased physical access, about 46% of children, especially girls and those from marginalized communities (SC/ST), drop out before completing elementary education.
• The report identifies a significant gap between the country’s educational aspirations and reality. The education system reflects broader societal inequalities based on class, caste, gender, and religion. These disparities manifest in uneven access and educational outcomes among different social and economic groups.
• Moreover, the report criticizes the inequities within the education system itself, where high-fee private schools cater to the affluent, while government schools, particularly in rural and urban slum areas, lack basic facilities. This disparity necessitates urgent intervention to ensure all children receive a quality education, regardless of their background or location.

The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) for 2018, reported by the NGO Pratham, has brought out several areas of concern in the field of Primary Education:

• 27.1 percent of Class 3 students can read a Class 2 level text.
• The proportion of Class 5 children who can at least read a Class 2 level text has risen from 46.8 percent in 2012 to 50.3 percent in 2018.
• Of all children enrolled in Class VIII, about 73 percent can read only Class 2 level text.
• Mathematics continues to be a serious and major source of concern.
• All India (rural) figures for basic arithmetic have remained virtually unchanged over the last few years.
• Class 3 children who could do subtractions was 27.6 percent in 2016, which has risen to 28.1 percent in 2018.
• For Class 5 children, the ability to do division has increased from 26 percent in 2016 to 27.8 percent in 2018.
• The percentage of children in Class 8 who can solve a 3-digit by 1-digit numerical division is 44 percent in 2018.