Schools That Dream: Transforming Kerala's Schools into Empathy Engines - Paperback

by Shashi Velath (Author), Anand Haridas (Author)

About the Book

AN IDEA THAT HAS SPARKED A SILENT REVOLUTION: THE STUDENT POLICE CADET SCHEME, WHICH HAS CONVERTED SCHOOLCHILDREN INTO CHANGEMAKERS, POLICE PERSONNEL INTO ENABLERS AND SCHOOLS INTO INNOVATION HUBS.

An idea could change lives: teaming up schoolchildren with police personnel, both partners in change, each one impacting and sensitising the other. This is the idea behind the decade-old Student Police Cadet, or SPC, scheme in Kerala. Today, over 12,000 schools across India have implemented the programme, of which 1,000 are in Kerala.

SPC anticipated the need to move beyond the usual measure of success in schools-high marks, sporting achievements, debating competitions-and towards becoming innovation hubs. Young people would need to be engaged with the challenges of a fast-changing world, becoming changemakers and agents of empathy.

About the Author

Shashi Velath is the CEO of Tinge of Green, an ecosystem enabler and builder within the sustainability solutions space. A renowned war and investigative journalist, he has earned prestigious awards such as the Ramnath Goenka Award and a Green Oscar. Transitioning into the social sector, he led international non-profits in fostering cross-sector collaborations and addressing complex societal challenges. With a passion for designing innovative strategies for sustainable development goals, Shashi now spearheads Tinge of Green's mission. The organisation focuses on fostering collaboration, innovation and growth within the sustainability sector through platforms, investment, partnerships, research support, policy advocacy, education and sustainability standards.

Anand Haridas, a seasoned news journalist, began his career with The Hindu, where he gained recognition for captivating features on arts, culture and civic affairs. After a fruitful fourteen-year tenure, he transitioned into a content curator and media consultant. An accomplished translator, his rendition of Sajitha Madathil's play Kaali Naatakam was published in Indian Literature, a prestigious journal by Kendra Sahitya Akademi. Notably, he also co-authored the acclaimed film Viral Sebi alongside Sajitha Madathil, directed by award-winning filmmaker Vidhu Vincent. Anand's poetry has graced numerous publications and he is a regular host of engaging online talk shows.