Meet The Teacher Getting Tech-Savvy Teens to Teach Their Parents!

Assam, a state in Northeast India nestled south of the Eastern Himalayas, is known for its tea, silk, and rich wildlife. It shares borders with Bhutan, Bangladesh, and several Indian states. 

Now a local geography teacher is putting Assam on the map for a different reason, reports The Economic Times. His inspiring initiative encourages students to return home each day  and teach their mothers, many of whom never had the opportunity to attend school, and learn essential literacy and life skills.

His initiative recently earned him one of India’s highest teaching honors: This year’s National Teachers’ Award!

Kids Teaching Parents!
Meet Shri Rajesh Bordoloi, a 50-year-old educator at Adarsha Tribal Higher Secondary School in Kalbari, in Assam’s Jorhat district.

According to Daily Mattr reports, his homework assignments extend far beyond the classroom. Through a program called “Each One Teach One,” he asks his Class 10 students to teach their mothers basic literacy and digital skills. The lessons cover everything from reading and using smartphones to making digital payments and accessing online banking.

Around 90 percent of the participating students belong to the Mising tribal community, whose livelihoods are closely tied to agriculture. But Bordoloi’s approach goes beyond teaching practical skills. As India Today reports, he has also taken the initiative to learn the Mising language from his students. 

MoneyControl further explains that many students speak Mising at home but must communicate in Assamese at school, creating a disconnect between their home and classroom experiences. Rather than expecting his pupils to make all the adjustments, Bordoloi began learning their language to build trust and better understand their community. He has extended this inclusive approach to his teaching by incorporating traditional weaving and hands-on learning experiences at local markets into his lessons. 

As The Economic Times highlights, the benefits of Each One Teach One reach well beyond literacy and digital know-how. For mothers who missed out on former education, learning from their own children opens up new opportunities. It can also inspire them to keep their children in school, helping families see the tangible value of education.

This Teacher’s Lightbulb Moment
The idea first came to Bordoloi about two years ago, when he noticed a growing gap between his tech-savvy students and their mothers. Many women had little or no formal education and struggled with basic digital tasks. He saw an opportunity to bridge that divide by taking learning beyond the school gates and empowering the younger generation to become agents of change at home.

“When a child becomes a teacher at home, education becomes a shared journey, this inspiring teacher told the Times of India. “There is something deeply inspiring about seeing a student sit beside his or her mother and patiently explain how to use a mobile phone or make a digital payment,” he added.

Bordoloi’s innovative approach has earned him national recognition. According to a press release from India’s Ministry of Education, he is among 45 schoolteachers from across the country being honored this year for their outstanding contributions to education. 

Yet, despite the recognition, Bordoloi remains humble about his achievement. Quick to share the credit, he told the newspaper that the award reflects a collective effort involving his school, colleagues, students, parents, and the wider community. 

A Curriculum That Yearns to Grow
As The Economic Times reports, the initiative that began in Kalbari has since spread to five more villages: Banhphala, Bhekelichapori, Dhankhuli, Laliti Chapori Gaon and Sarigharia.

The school, Adarsha Tribal Higher Secondary School, has also built on the program by using  government-provided smart boards to introduce mothers to digital tools during parent-teacher meetings. According to The Times of India, this additional support has helped many local women overcome their initial hesitation and build confidence in using technology.

Remarkably, the initiative has grown from one village to six largely through word of mouth. Its grassroots success offers a promising model for schools in similar tribal communities, demonstrating how they can support adult literacy and digital inclusion without relying on large-scale government interventions. 

But Bordoloi’s vision goes beyond digital literacy. His commitment to empowering the community reaches into other areas of social change, too. As EdinbBox reports, he has campaigned against child marriage after seeting underage girls leave school and abandon their educational aspirations to elope with their partners.

This education-focused platform sees Bordoloi’s initiative as a powerful example of how schools can reach beyond the traditional classroom. By encouraging students not only to learn but also to teach, his program is helping families grow together, strengthening intergenerational bonds, and showing how education can become a force for change throughout an entire community.