Client / Financial Support: Department for International Development (DFID, India)

Duration: 16 mts

The overall objective of the Andhra Pradesh Primary Education Project was to achieve a substantial qualitative improvement in classroom practices, teacher competency and learning outcomes, within an appropriate environment and thereby to contribute towards the objective of Universal Primary Education. In 1993 the Panchayati Raj Engineering Department, Andhra Pradesh, embarked on a voyage of discovery seeking assistance and guidance from the myriad of architectural and engineering institutions and individuals within India who have been involved in the development of alternative approaches to construction. Selected agencies worked with the local engineers and contractors on 29 sites around Rangareddy district in Andhra Pradesh to construct a series of prototype classrooms utilising the selected designs and technologies. This film documents all aspects of the project and will serve as a visual planning tool for other projects wishing to utilise cost effective construction technologies.

An abridged version of Vidyalayam was shown on BBC as part of their series, Hands On. It has also been used extensively in DFID’s development work in Africa.