Project Overview

V-SHIKSHA was a school-based immunization awareness project implemented by JSIPL to develop educational content for primary school children and teachers, supported by a teacher training module. It was designed for integration into the school curriculum to strengthen vaccine confidence and uptake through school-led community engagement. This initiative integrated a comprehensive immunization module into the Class V curriculum, aligned with the School Health & Wellness Programme under Ayushman Bharat Programme.

This initiative equipped students as “Vaccination Messengers” and teachers as “Vaccination Ambassadors”, enabling informed dialogue on immunization within families and communities. By extending awareness beyond classrooms, V-SHIKSHA contributed to reducing the number of zero-dose, left- out and drop out children.

Empowering students as vaccine messengers – Facilitators’ Guide

Guiding vaccination ambassadors – Teachers’ Manual

Staying health: Immunization for All- Students’ Handbook

Objectives

To conduct baseline assessments among students, teachers, and parents/caregivers to identify knowledge gaps, perceptions, and attitudes toward immunization

To develop an evidence-based immunization curriculum and teaching-learning materials for class V students and teachers

To build teacher capacity to serve as credible Vaccination Ambassadors and prepare students as Vaccination Messengers

To pilot the curriculum in selected schools and refine implementation approaches

To conduct end line assessments in piloted geographies, focusing on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours

JSIPL’s Role

Under the guidance of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, JSIPL facilitated the constitution of a Joint Working Group (JWG) chaired by the Immunization Division, MoHFW, and representation from Ministry of Education, and NCERT to provide strategic direction and oversight for effective implementation. JSIPL supported the selection of pilot geographies in close collaboration with the JWG and state & district stakeholders, led evidence-based curriculum content development informed by baseline assessments, and provided end-to-end support for the rollout of the initiative. This included leading capacity-building workshops and orientations for teachers and education stakeholders, as well as conducting the end line evaluation.

Key Achievements

Implemented across 6 districts in 4 states (Odisha, Assam, Rajasthan, and Karnataka) across 63 schools, reaching 4,000+ students, 450+ teachers and 1,000+ parents.
State and district consultations conducted with teachers and government stakeholders.
A National Consultative Workshop on 26 December 2025, convened stakeholders from MoHFW, MoE (including NCERT, CBSE, KVS, NVS, NBT), and along with development partners, to review content, share learnings and define the way forward.
Immunization content for students and teachers finalized based on national-level recommendations
Student Handbook: Interactive, age-appropriate content for class V
Teacher Manual: Structured lesson plans, facilitation guides, and strategies to address vaccine hesitancy and promote community engagement
Developed a facilitator guide, along with two videos (3 minutes each) for students and two videos (5 minutes each) for teachers.

Outcome

The pilot resulted in improved vaccine literacy among students and teachers, strengthened teacher-led dissemination of accurate immunization information, and enabled effective communication between students, teachers, and parents on vaccination. It also contributed to enhanced community trust in immunization systems while ensuring strong alignment with national immunization priorities.

Looking Ahead

Institutionalize and scale the curriculum through integration into the formal education system and School Health Programme

Expand reach through digital, print, and blended learning platforms