Each One Teach One Initiative in Assam

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Key takeaways

Assam geography teacher Rajesh Bordoloi won the National Teachers Award 2026 for starting the Each One Teach One program.
The program at Adarsha Tribal Higher Secondary School enables Class 10 students to teach literacy and UPI digital skills to their mothers.
Nearly 99% of students involved belong to the Mising tribal community, making it a key tool for social change.
The initiative helps bridge the rural digital divide and combats social issues like child marriage while boosting school retention.

Assam geography teacher Rajesh Bordoloi won the prestigious National Teachers Award 2026.
He received this honor for creating the innovative Each One Teach One program.
This unique program encourages school students to act as teachers for their own mothers at home.

This community education program started at Adarsha Tribal Higher Secondary School in Kalbari, located in the Jorhat district of Assam.
Under this scheme, Class 10 students teach basic reading, writing, and digital tools to their mothers.

Students turn into tutors at home, helping their mothers gain basic literacy and learning how to operate smartphones.
Mothers learn to send money using UPI payments, use online banking, and navigate essential digital public services.
Teachers use smart boards during parent-teacher meetings so mothers can get comfortable using technology directly.

The program uses a reverse learning model, turning students from passive learners into active teachers and social leaders.
It focuses on women digital literacy, equipping mothers with essential skills in reading, mobile usage, and digital money transfers.
It creates community centered education by linking schools, students, parents, and local citizens together.
The project specifically supports tribal groups, as nearly 99% of the students belong to the Mising tribe and are first generation learners.
It drives broader social changes by raising awareness against child marriage and reducing school dropout rates.
The initiative is highly scalable, having already spread from Kalbari to many nearby villages in the region.

It boosts women empowerment by helping mothers gain financial independence and participate more in family decision making.
It bridges the digital divide in rural areas by giving tribal families easy access to UPI, banking services, and digital marketplaces.
It turns basic classroom teaching into a broad tool for social transformation that uplifts the whole community across generations.