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Barefoot College, Tilonia, Rajasthan, India.

The training is non-structured and informal, incorporating on-the-job learning while earning.

- learning from doing and mutual interaction, not through formal classroom teaching
- emphasis on practical experience; little or no importance given to paper qualifications
- the belief is that the educational system today cannot judge the worth and value of persons. Passing exams, getting degrees is no guarantee that they are either valuable or necessary for the development of rural communities. The crucial question is: can they work with their hands?
- to prevent environmental degradation and to make communities sustainable, the answer is for them to finally depend on each other and use existing village skills for their own development.
- Tilonia’s role is to facilitate a process that allows for self reliance, self respect and dignity. It is not to increase dependency on urban professionals and skills. (more…)