Srinagar, Feb 16:Bharti Airtel Foundation, in collaboration with the Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK), this week announced the launch of Phase 2 of its Teachers’ Professional Development Programme at State Council of Educational Research and Training Srinagar, following the successful completion of Phase 1.
The programme is delivered through TheTeacherApp, a free-for-life digital platform developed by the Foundation that offers structured content, collaborative learning spaces and practical tools aimed at strengthening teacher capacity and improving classroom outcomes.
The launch event was attended by Chief Guest Syed Shabir Ahmad, Joint Director (Central) Kashmir, DSEK; Jan Mudasir Gul, OSD CEW–DSEK; Anil Bhat, Regional Head, and Veena Tyagi, Lead – Partnerships and Implementation, along with other representatives from the Foundation.
Phase 1, launched on November 14, 2024, focused on three core themes: enhancing teaching through effective learning materials, strengthening foundational literacy, and building numeracy skills. The initiative witnessed significant participation, with over 27,000 teachers onboarded onto TheTeacherApp and more than 24,000 certificates issued upon successful completion of assessments.
During the event, outstanding teachers were felicitated for emerging as top achievers in the Teaching Learning Material (TLM) Competition conducted through the app. Districts with the highest course completion rates were also recognised, and their District Nodal Officers were presented Certificates of Appreciation.
Officials noted that the structured modules, assessments and collaborative learning approach in Phase 1 enabled teachers to translate training into improved classroom practices, laying the groundwork for the next stage.
Phase 2 will expand its scope to include technology integration and future-ready pedagogical practices. The new phase will cover technological skills, sustainability and life skills, as well as pedagogy and mentoring strategies. It will also introduce advanced AI-enabled learning modules through AI Samarth courses and webinars to strengthen digital classroom engagement.
Addressing the gathering, Syed Shabir Ahmad said the Directorate remains committed to empowering teachers as change-makers in education. He described the partnership with the Foundation as transformative and expressed confidence that the focus on AI and technology would enhance innovation and bridge learning gaps across Kashmir.
Anil Bhat, Regional Head of Bharti Airtel Foundation, said the overwhelming participation in Phase 1 reflected growing acceptance of structured digital professional development in the region. He added that Phase 2 would further equip educators with technological and mentoring skills to sustain improvements in classroom practice.
Spokesperson said the philanthropic arm of Bharti Enterprises, Bharti Airtel Foundation works towards holistic quality education in rural India, with special emphasis on the girl child.
“Its flagship Satya Bharti School Programme currently supports over 36,000 children in 155 schools, while the Quality Support Programme has extended best practices to over 4.35 lakh students in approximately 1,100 government schools across 12 States and Union Territories,” he informed.
Through its digital platform TheTeacherApp, which has over 1.9 lakh registered users, and various scholarship initiatives, the Foundation has positively impacted more than 3.7 million children and over 7 million individuals nationwide.
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