We established Edopia-a school for the changing world, in 2014 with a vision of questioning education as we know it. Timetables, desks, and chairs, textbooks, syllabus, bells, uniforms, competition- we pulled apart all constituents that make a school and questioned them for their value. We asked ourselves, 'how will this help the child?' and this one inquiry statement laid the foundation for the first democratic school in Pakistan.
At Edopia, we uphold the principles of voice, choice, and mentorship. Children learn to negotiate their presence with the support of their mentors. Rather than blindly following instructions, children are encouraged to have interests, voice their opinions respectfully and protect their rights. Life at Edopia is based on two key principles. 1) We are members of a community. We take care of each other and do not make anyone's life difficult. 2) We are responsible and invested in personal growth. Every day we want to be better than we were yesterday.
At Edopia, we view children as empowered entities and we work with them to design a system of learning that is relatable and relevant for them. Our design is built on strong theoretical foundations and we continue to learn from the best in the field. We often seek support and inspiration from Harvard Graduate School of Education and Reggio Children.
During the curtain raiser, RJ Fahad Abbasi met Jaweria Sethi (Founder of Edopia) Rameen Hussain and Ibrahim Vardag (students at Edopia), and Laila Vardag (a parent at Edopia). Ms. Sethi, who is a graduate of Harvard Graduate School of Education talked at length about the concept of Edopia and the research principles that support this system of learning. Ms. Vardag shared how Edopia was a culmination of a long quest for the right kind of education for their children. While Ibrahim and Rameen discuss how Edopia's learning community has helped them develop a new relationship with learning.
To learn more about Edopia visit the following links:
Edopiaofficial on Instagram
