• Government Vocational Higher Secondary School for Girls, Nadakkavu, ranked second in Education World India School Rankings 2019-20
• 120-year-old school has secured consistent high ranking among government day schools in India since the Foundation redeveloped it in
  2013
• The intervention model of the Foundation for the school has been extended by the Kerala government to over 1,000 schools in the state

Dubai, UAE; September 17, 2019: Faizal & Shabana Foundation, the philanthropic arm of KEF Holdings, has set a new milestone in its educational support programmes, with the Government Vocational Higher Secondary School (GVHSS) for Girls, Nadakkavu in Kozhikode, Kerala, clinching the second position in India among all government day schools for all-round excellence.
The 120-year-old school has witnessed unprecedented transformation after the Foundation partnered in 2013 with the PRISM (Promoting Regional Schools to International Standards through Multiple Interventions) Project, conceptualised by the local Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) A Pradeep Kumar. Since then, the school has ranked consistently in the Top 10 ranking of Education World’s (EW) India School Ranking.

The Nadakkavu school, now a flagbearer of excellence in education in India for its focus on the holistic development of students, secured a total score of 1,061 in the EW India School Rankings. It is the world’s largest and most comprehensive survey of primary-secondary schools with scores based on interviews with parents, senior school students, principals and teachers. The schools are evaluated on 14 different categories.

Faizal E. Kottikollon, Co-Founder of Faizal & Shabana Foundation, and Founder & Chairman of KEF Holdings, said: “The top ranking for Nadakkavu school is a true testament to the success of our Foundation’s vision, ‘Giving to Create Impact.’ Our goal is to drive the positive transformation of government – and private – schools through an integrated and participatory approach. Today, more than 1,000 schools in Kerala and many more across India are emulating the ‘Nadakkavu’ model, which is sustainable and value-driven. We are honoured to have created this benchmark of excellence for education in India. We will continue to drive our education engagement initiatives across the country as well as in other nations.”

Shabana Faizal, Co-Founder of Faizal & Shabana Foundation, and Vice Chair-Person of KEF Holdings, said: “Since the inception of the Foundation over 10 years ago, our single-minded focus was on driving social impact through our programmes. We are privileged to undertake the opportunity to support Nadakkavu school, which has a history of over 120 years, and to transform it into one of India’s leading schools. More importantly, we see incremental value from this transformation. All our 2,600 students benefit from high-quality education, delivered by a team of committed teachers. We see these students evolving as well-rounded individuals who can contribute incredible value to the society.”

The contribution of Faizal & Shabana Foundation in transforming the GVHSS School has gained international acclaim. It is today a case study on venture philanthropy in education as well as a part of the syllabus on corporate entrepreneurship at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK. The success of the Nadakkavu School led to the Kerala government using it as a scalable model to transform 1,000 government schools in the state.

Faizal & Shabana Foundation undertook the redevelopment of the then-dilapidated school through a path-breaking yet cost-effective approach. The entire school was transformed using offsite manufacturing and precast, modular technology in record time. The Foundation also introduced better sports facilities including an astroturf sports field, a modern library, advanced laboratories, an interactive science centre, and classrooms tailored to deliver an enriching learning environment.

Other interventions such as teacher training programmes, vocational training, school ambassador training, teacher and student inter-school learning and knowledge exchange programmes are held on a regular basis. Soon after the redevelopment, the school reported 100% growth in enrollments and over 400% improvement in results.

About Faizal & Shabana Foundation:
Founded in 2007 with the vision of ‘Giving to Create Impact,’ the Faizal & Shabana Foundation is the venture philanthropy and positive social impact initiative of KEF Holdings, a UAE-based enterprise that delivers innovative, sustainable, cost-effective and disruptive solutions across core sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare and technology.
Through its sustainable programmes and positive interventions, the Foundation provides building blocks for people and communities to be empowered and build their own positive and happy future. Its aim is to serve as a catalyst towards building a more equitable, positive, happier and better tomorrow for all, for generations to come. Over the last 10 years, the Foundation has successfully launched sustainable initiatives and partnered with programmes across various sectors to positively impact the lives of people and the community in India and the Middle East.

For more information, please contact:

Vidya Karigirivasan
KEF Holdings,
Dubai, UAE
Tel.: +9714 437 3000
Email: vidya.karigirivasan@kefholdings.com

Yasser Alvi/Stacy Fernandes
ASDA’A BCW
Tel: +971(4)-4507 600
yasser.alvi@bcw-global.com/stacy.fernandes@bcw-global.com

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