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산업

Iranian Official Says Hormuz to Reopen with New Toll Regime

The Strait of Hormuz will ultimately reopen but Iran and Oman will set new conditions for passage, including transit fees, Kazem Jalali, Iran’s Ambassador to Russia, told Russian daily Izvestia in an interview on Monday. “Of course, this strait will be open, but with new conditions to be determined by the Iranian and Omani authorities,” Reuters quoted Jalali as telling the Russian newspaper. “We understand that Iran and Oman provide certain services related to this strait. And fees will be charged for those services,”…

G1 (Globo)

Classificação de café define o destino dos grãos brasileiros

Trabalho envolve uma avaliação criteriosa de diferentes características físicas e sensoriais que ajudam a identificar o potencial e a qualidade do café Crédito: Divulgação. A classificação de café é uma das etapas mais importantes da cadeia cafeeira. É nesse processo que profissionais especializados avaliam atributos físicos e sensoriais dos grãos, identificam padrões de qualidade e ajudam a direcionar cada lote para os mercados mais adequados. Embora atuem nos bastidores, esses especialistas exercem influência direta sobre a comercialização do café brasileiro, atendendo desde o mercado interno até compradores internacionais com exigências específicas. Na Cooxupé, maior cooperativa de café arábica do mundo, essa atividade tem papel estratégico na conexão entre o trabalho realizado pelos cooperados e as demandas dos clientes. Durante a safra, quando o volume recebido aumenta significativamente, a atuação dos classificadores se torna ainda mais essencial para garantir que cada lote seja avaliado com precisão e encontre o destino comercial mais adequado. O que um classificador observa ao receber uma amostra de café? A análise começa antes mesmo da prova da bebida. O trabalho envolve uma avaliação criteriosa de diferentes características físicas e sensoriais que ajudam a identificar o potencial e a qualidade do café. Segundo Luiz Evandro Ribeiro, classificador de café da Cooxupé, os primeiros aspectos observados são fundamentais para compreender o perfil do lote. “O classificador analisa o aspecto do café, sendo a umidade, cor, seca, cheiro, uniformidade e o perfil da bebida”, explica. Esses elementos fornecem informações importantes sobre a condição do produto e permitem identificar características que serão determinantes para sua classificação e comercialização. Classificação do café tem papel estratégico na conexão entre o trabalho realizado pelos produtores cooperados e as demandas dos clientes Crédito: Divulgação. Quanto da classificação de café depende da técnica e da experiência? A atividade exige conhecimento técnico, treinamento constante e domínio dos protocolos utilizados pelo setor. Mas a experiência acumulada ao longo dos anos também faz diferença na interpretação das características de cada café e, principalmente, no entendimento das necessidades do mercado. Para Luiz Evandro, um dos principais desafios da profissão é compreender as exigências de cada cliente e de cada destino comercial. “O classificador tem que ter conhecimento de cada mercado, externo e interno, para compreender cada cliente e suas exigências", afirma. Essa combinação entre técnica e experiência permite que a avaliação vá além da identificação de atributos. O profissional precisa entender quais características são valorizadas por diferentes compradores e quais perfis de café atendem às demandas de cada segmento. Na Cooxupé, eles também atuam em mercados que exigem padrões específicos de qualidade e certificações reconhecidas internacionalmente. “Nós, classificadores da Cooxupé, somos Q-Graders para analisar cafés especiais com alinhamento junto à SMC Specialty Coffees, e também especiais voltados para espresso illycaffè. No café commodity, nossos padrões são conhecidos por todos os nossos clientes", destaca Luiz Evandro. Processo de Classificação identifica padrões de qualidade e ajuda a direcionar cada lote para os mercados mais adequados Crédito: Divulgação. Como a classificação influencia a comercialização do café? A classificação está diretamente ligada ao posicionamento comercial dos lotes. A partir das análises realizadas, é possível identificar quais atendem aos requisitos de determinados compradores e mercados. Por isso, conhecer as exigências de cada cliente é parte essencial da rotina dos profissionais. O trabalho contribui para que os cafés sejam direcionados aos mercados mais adequados, fortalecendo a relação de confiança construída entre a cooperativa e seus compradores ao longo dos anos. Para os cooperados, esse processo também representa uma oportunidade de valorização. Uma avaliação precisa permite reconhecer características específicas dos lotes e identificar possibilidades comerciais alinhadas ao perfil de cada grão. O que acontece com a classificação de café durante o pico da safra? Se a responsabilidade dos classificadores é grande ao longo de todo o ano, durante a colheita ela ganha uma dimensão ainda maior. O aumento no volume de café recebido exige uma estrutura preparada para manter a agilidade e o rigor das análises. Segundo Luiz Evandro, o movimento cresce significativamente nos meses de maior intensidade. “No pico da safra, recebemos a média de 1.200 amostras por dia”, relata. O número ajuda a dimensionar a importância da estrutura de classificação da Cooxupé. Cada amostra recebida precisa passar por uma avaliação cuidadosa para garantir que os padrões de qualidade sejam mantidos e que as informações geradas apoiem as decisões comerciais da cooperativa. Na Classificação, profissionais especializados avaliam atributos físicos e sensoriais do café Crédito: Divulgação. Como os classificadores se preparam para esse período? Para acompanhar o aumento da demanda, a cooperativa reforça sua estrutura operacional, contribuindo para manter a eficiência do processo sem comprometer o rigor das análises. Como o Laboratório de Classificação se organiza durante a safra? Além da ampliação das equipes, o laboratório adota uma dinâmica específica para atender ao fluxo intenso de amostras que chegam diariamente durante o período de colheita. “Dividimos o pessoal em duas escalas de trabalho”, conta Luiz Evandro. A organização das equipes permite que o processo acompanhe o ritmo da safra, o que garante eficiência operacional e suporte às demandas dos cooperados e dos mercados compradores. Por que a classificação de café é tão importante para o setor? O trabalho reúne conhecimento técnico, experiência sensorial e entendimento das exigências do mercado. Dessa forma, a classificação influencia diretamente a comercialização dos grãos. Ao identificar características físicas e sensoriais dos cafés, os classificadores ajudam a construir uma ponte entre a produção e o consumo. Isso garante que os padrões exigidos pelos compradores sejam atendidos. O resultado desse trabalho impacta toda a cadeia, desde o produtor até o consumidor final. Na Cooxupé, essa atividade ganha relevância pela dimensão da operação e pela diversidade de mercados atendidos. O trabalho realizado pelos classificadores, em alinhamento com as demandas dos clientes e da SMC Specialty Coffees, ajuda a fortalecer a reputação dos cafés comercializados pela cooperativa e a expandir as oportunidades para os cooperados.

G1 (Globo)

Como cafés especiais transformaram fazendas no Sul de Minas

Café especial gera oportunidades e maior rentabilidade ao produtor Crédito: Divulgação. Em muitas fazendas do Sul de Minas, a produção de cafés especiais alterou práticas que atravessaram gerações. O momento da colheita passou a ser acompanhado com mais rigor. Talhões começaram a ser separados. O pós-colheita ganhou novos cuidados. Lotes que antes seguiam o mesmo destino passaram a receber tratamentos distintos até chegar aos armazéns. A mudança tem uma razão clara: a qualidade passou a representar uma oportunidade de agregar valor à produção. Nos últimos anos, cafeicultores da região investem em técnicas capazes de elevar o padrão da bebida e atender a um mercado que busca atributos específicos de aroma, sabor, acidez e origem. O resultado aparece na valorização dos grãos e na abertura de novos canais de comercialização dentro e fora do Brasil. Da produção convencional ao mercado premium A transformação não acontece da noite para o dia. Produzir um café especial exige planejamento, conhecimento técnico e acompanhamento constante da lavoura. Questões como nutrição das plantas, manejo fitossanitário, ponto ideal de maturação dos frutos, colheita seletiva e secagem adequada passaram a ocupar espaço central na rotina de muitos cafeicultores. Em diversas propriedades cooperadas da Cooxupé, esse processo mudou a forma de enxergar a atividade. O café deixou de ser avaliado apenas pelo volume produzido e passou a ser tratado como um produto capaz de gerar valor por suas características sensoriais e por sua origem. A trajetória de produtores premiados em programas de qualidade ajuda a ilustrar essa evolução. O cooperado Virgolino Adriano Muniz, de Cabo Verde, conquistou em 2025 o primeiro lugar no Especialíssimo, programa de seleção de cafés especiais realizado pela Cooxupé e pela SMC Specialty Coffees. O lote alcançou 90,92 pontos na avaliação técnica, índice considerado de excelência no mercado internacional. A conquista foi resultado de um trabalho construído ao longo dos anos. Antes do título, o produtor já havia alcançado posições de destaque em outras edições do programa, acumulando experiência e aperfeiçoando os processos adotados na propriedade. Especialíssimo é o programa da Cooxupé e da SMC Specialty Coffees que seleciona e premia os melhores cafés dos cooperados Crédito: Divulgação. Qualidade que cruza fronteiras O avanço dos cafés especiais também aumentou a presença dos produtores do Sul de Minas nos mercados mais exigentes do mundo. Lotes selecionados entre os cooperados da Cooxupé seguem para países como Japão, Estados Unidos, Reino Unido, Alemanha, Coreia do Sul, Itália, Austrália, Canadá e diversos outros mercados consumidores. Muitos desses grãos são utilizados em blends especiais comercializados por torrefações internacionais e consumidos por apreciadores que valorizam qualidade, rastreabilidade e origem. Parte dessa produção também chega ao consumidor brasileiro. Cafés selecionados pelo Especialíssimo fazem parte de linhas especiais da Torrefação Cooxupé. Segundo a indústria torrefadora da cooperativa, os blends são produzidos com lotes de alta pontuação sensorial, oriundos de propriedades que seguem critérios de qualidade, rastreabilidade e sustentabilidade. A proposta é levar ao consumidor cafés com perfis distintos e identidade de origem. Assistência técnica e incentivo à qualidade O fortalecimento dos cafés especiais no Sul de Minas está associado a um trabalho contínuo de orientação técnica realizada junto aos produtores. Por meio da Cooxupé e da SMC Specialty Coffees, os cooperados recebem acompanhamento especializado voltado para as diferentes etapas da produção, desde o manejo da lavoura até os processos de pós-colheita. De acordo com o vice-presidente da cooperativa, Osvaldo Bachião Filho, a busca por qualidade necessita de dedicação permanente e atenção aos detalhes. “Produzir café especial não é uma tarefa simples. Exige cuidados, atenção e muito capricho. O que observamos é um engajamento cada vez maior das famílias cooperadas em elevar continuamente a qualidade dos seus cafés”, afirma. Ele ainda destaca que o objetivo do trabalho desenvolvido pela Cooxupé é garantir que os grãos atendam aos padrões exigidos pelo mercado internacional e sejam produzidos segundo os critérios de sustentabilidade e boas práticas agrícolas. Produtor Adriano Muniz, cooperado da Cooxupé da cidade de Cabo Verde (MG), produziu o melhor café especial da safra 2025 na área de atuação da cooperativa Crédito: Divulgação. Um retrato da evolução da cafeicultura Criado em 2016, o Especialíssimo acompanha de perto a evolução da produção de cafés especiais na área de atuação da Cooxupé, que abrange o Cerrado mineiro, Matas de Minas, Média Mogiana do estado de São Paulo, além do Sul de Minas. O programa identifica lotes produzidos por cooperados que alcançam elevados padrões de qualidade e expande as oportunidades de comercialização desses cafés. A cada safra, os resultados revelam o avanço técnico das propriedades participantes. Em 2025, os cafés mais bem classificados vieram de municípios como Cabo Verde, Poços de Caldas e Caldas, localidades que têm se destacado pela produção de grãos de alta qualidade. Além do reconhecimento aos cafeicultores, os lotes selecionados encontram espaço em mercados que remuneram atributos ligados à qualidade, à origem e à rastreabilidade. “Os lotes selecionados são comercializados com valores diferenciados, estimulando a exportação e ampliando a presença do Brasil no mercado internacional, ao mesmo tempo em que valorizam a origem e o trabalho de cada família produtora”, afirma Bachião. A consolidação dos cafés especiais no Sul de Minas mostra que a competitividade da cafeicultura passa cada vez mais pela diferenciação. Em um mercado global atento à origem, à rastreabilidade e aos atributos da bebida, a qualidade deixou de ser apenas um requisito técnico e se tornou parte da estratégia econômica das propriedades rurais. Produção de café com qualidade de excelência tem estimulado famílias cafeicultoras Crédito: Divulgação.

Vanguard (Nigeria)

Credible poll: Lawyers must rise above ‘fat fees’, fight for justice — Mekwunye, SAN

— -Laments absence of ‘lawyer-statemens’ By Henry Ojelu Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Charles Mekwunye, has criticised lawyers and judges who aid the subversion of electoral justice, warning that the legal profession risks losing its moral authority if practitioners continue to prioritise personal enrichment over national interest. Mekwunye spoke during the 2026 Law Week of […] The post Credible poll: Lawyers must rise above ‘fat fees’, fight for justice — Mekwunye, SAN appeared first on Vanguard News.

Tuko (Kenya)

Kenyan man in US launches an app to help countrymen to buy properties safely

Discover ArdhiHome, a platform revolutionising property investment for Kenyans abroad. Secure land purchases and find trusted agents without any fees.

The Times of India

Facing a dispute with your builder? Here's how RERA can help register your grievance

Homebuyers facing builder issues like delayed possession or unfulfilled amenities can seek recourse through RERA. The article outlines the step-by-step process for filing complaints, including identifying the correct state portal, registering, detailing the grievance, and paying fees. It also highlights state-specific variations in submission methods, guiding consumers towards resolution.

NDTV Top Stories

Hormuz Will Be Open But With Transit Fees, Says Iran's Envoy To Moscow

The US-Israeli war on Iran has largely cut oil flows via the strait.

Antara News (Indonesia)

The Economic Times (India)

DSI not export broker, only provides service fees: Danantara

Head of the State-Owned Enterprises Regulatory Body (BP BUMN) as well as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Danantara, ...

경제

Water purifiers fuel a Rs 9,000 crore economy

You do the research, read lists of reviews, compare the filtration stages, and shell out a significant sum for the most promising, tech-savvy water purifier in the market. Then, just two months into installation, the machine starts throwing a series of confusing, flashing signals. The premium buying experience instantly evaporates, replaced by the sheer frustration of tracking down customer care and waiting at home for a technician to show up.In India’s competitive consumer durables sector, this exact friction point has transformed the landscape of water purifiers. The ultimate battle is no longer just about who can build and sell the best machine; it is increasingly about who can maintain trust after the hole has been drilled in the customer's kitchen wall.While the water purifier market is traditionally viewed through the lens of one-time appliance sales, companies like Eureka Forbes, the legacy player behind AquaGuard, are increasingly betting on a far larger opportunity hidden beneath the surface: the recurring service economy built around filters, annual maintenance contracts (AMCs) and nationwide technician networks.According to internal projections by Anurag Kumar, Chief Growth Officer at Eureka Forbes, the water purifier service market alone is on track to cross Rs 9,000 crore by FY30, nearly matching the projected Rs 10,000 crore size of the product market itself.131582773Also read: Beyond the room: Why India Inc's luxury hospitality bet is becoming an experience businessBreaking down the mathFor decades, the consumer durable playbook was simple: manufacture, distribute, sell, repeat. But water purification is far different from selling a television or a refrigerator; it is an active, evolving health product bound to the fluctuating quality of local municipal and groundwater supplies."The market for product categories for water purifiers is about Rs 3,800 crore today," Kumar says in an exclusive interview with ET Online. "I think you would add another, roughly about Rs 3,500 crore of service category as well to it."Citing independent industry reports, Kumar highlighted that by FY30, this parallel economy is set to explode. The product market will expand to over Rs 10,000 crore, while the service and aftermarket ecosystem will chase it tightly at more than Rs 9,000 crore, growing at a combined double-digit compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11% to 12%.This shifting weight from hardware to service fundamentally changes corporate strategies. For an industry dealing with an urban penetration rate of just 14% (and a mere 7% nationally), the recurring revenue from existing households forms a highly resilient cash-flow cushion that protects margins even during macro-economic slowdowns.131582808Service scale becomes the biggest moatThe Rs 9,000 crore service opportunity explains why tech-first aggregators and rental startups are rushing into the service category. However, scaling an on-demand service infrastructure across India’s complex geography is entirely different from coding an app.For legacy companies like Eureka Forbes, this operational network has become a major competitive advantage."After sales service can make or break a brand," says Kumar. "I think a lot of the trust that AquaGuard has today is really thanks to the fact that people have trust in our service... It's a very, very important integral part of our business and a very, very crucial moat that we continue to nurture."To defend this moat against new-age tech startups, Eureka Forbes operates at a scale that resembles a logistics company more than an appliance manufacturer. The company has deployed more than 8,000 technicians mapping out an operational footprint across 19,500 PIN codes.Also read: Apple expected to unveil new AI features at last developers conference with CEO Tim CookThe push to reduce maintenance costs"Once you sell a product, then you have it for life and there's some revenue which comes with it," Kumar says, referring to filter replacements, AMCs and servicing requirements.Interestingly, the biggest threat to this recurring service revenue is not new-age competitors, it has been consumer fatigue over high maintenance costs. Historically, the dread of paying steep annual fees to replace purifier filters has acted as a primary barrier keeping the remaining 86% of urban Indian households from adopting organised water purifiers.To beat this, Eureka Forbes pulled off a counter-intuitive strategic gear: they disrupted their own short-term revenue model to secure long-term market share.Last year, the company introduced a range of purifiers featuring "long-life" filters extending the replacement cycle from the traditional 12 months to a full two years."We did that because we fundamentally heard from consumers that there was also a barrier to the category around maintenance cost being high," Kumar reveals. "What two-year filters actually did was they actually lowered the maintenance cost because now you don't have to change filters every year. You have to change once every two years."Digitising a 1980s direct-sales DNAEureka Forbes, a company historically known for its door-to-door service, and making Aquaguard synonymous with water purifiers in India, faced a new piece of necessary upgrade with building digitisation. The multi-billion dollar service landscape required a complete digital overhaul of consumer interactions. The brand that built its empire in the 1980s on the soles of direct-sales agents knocking on suburban doors has had to pivot entirely to an on-demand, algorithmic infrastructure.An army of thousands of field technicians is only as efficient as the software directing them. For modern consumers who manage their entire lives via smartphone screens, a bland "technician will visit tomorrow" promise no longer cuts it."We've digitised that service," notes Kumar.The long-term playAs water contamination concerns spike across rapidly expanding urban clusters, the structural demand for pure drinking water will continue to climb, and so for water purifiers.However, as the hardware itself faces gradual commoditisation and intense price competition from newer market entrants, the center of gravity has largely shifted. Where the growth moves nextCapturing a dominant share of the service market is only half the blueprint. As Kumar maps out the strategic trajectory for Eureka Forbes over the next three to five years, the company's growth engine eyes two distinct tracks: aggressive geographic widening and targeted product diversification. Geographically, Kumar notes, the company is bypassing deep rural pockets for the time being to focus heavily on India’s rapidly urbanising Tier-2 and Tier-3 towns. Instead, the company is doubling down on smaller towns where they can immediately deploy their signature localised service infrastructure without stretching their logistics network too thin.Simultaneously, the brand is attempting to de-risk its reliance on the kitchen wall by expanding into adjacent consumer durables. Kumar outlined a product pipeline anchored in high-growth, premium categories, including robotic vacuum cleaners, air purifiers, and household water softeners. The underlying playbook here is pure cross-selling. By utilising the same 8,000-strong technician network to service these newer household appliances, Eureka Forbes is betting that its aftermarket footprint can drastically lower its customer acquisition costs; positioning the legacy firm to evolve from a single-product manufacturer into a broader home-health ecosystem player.

The Times of India

100 days of Middle East crisis: What happens when the Strait of Hormuz opens

Iran has indicated the Strait of Hormuz will reopen under new conditions set by Iranian and Omani authorities, potentially including transit fees for services. This comes as oil flows remain constrained following the US-Israeli conflict.

Tuko (Kenya)

산업/기업

American Idol winner Iam Tongi's net worth, record contracts, streaming revenue, and tour fees

What is Iam Tongi's net worth? Discover his record contracts, streaming revenue, tour fees, biggest songs, and how the American Idol winner earns his money.

Free Malaysia Today

The Economic Times (India)

Hormuz strait will be open but with transit fees, says Iranian envoy

Iran has asserted that a permanent peace deal should allow it to demand fees for ships passing through the strait.

Hormuz will be open but with transit fees

The Straits Times World

Strait of Hormuz will be open but with transit fees: Iran envoy to Moscow

Iran has asserted that a permanent peace deal should allow it to demand fees for ships passing through the strait.

Dawn (Pakistan)

산업/기업

KMC eyes Rs1bn annual revenue from tax on hotels, marriage halls

KARACHI: The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) is preparing to impose a new tax on hotels, restaurants, guest houses, lodges, marriage halls, marquees, marriage lawns, Airbnb properties and wedding banquet facilities to generate Rs1 billion annually. If approved by the City Council, the ‘entertainment tax’ will be collected at the rate of one per cent of the total bill generated by hotels, marriage halls, etc. Officials said that the municipal authority intends to seek approval for the tax in its upcoming budget for the next financial year. In a public notice, the KMC Municipal Commissioner Abrar Jaffar has invited public feedback on the proposal, setting June 10 for a hearing on objections and suggestions at the corporation headquarters. Public hearing on proposed ‘Entertainment Tax’ set for Wednesday at KMC head office According to the public notice, the KMC’s tourism department is seeking to strengthen its financial position and improve public services. To achieve this, it said, the corporation plans to amend the existing tax gazette by introducing a new category titled “Entertainment Tax – City Tourism and Hospitality,” along with its corresponding bylaws. The notice stated that under the Sindh Local Government Act, 2013, KMC is authorised to impose taxes, rates, tolls and fees within its jurisdiction. The municipal body is now looking to boost its revenue collection through the proposed entertainment tax, which the officials say could become a significant source of income. “We are eyeing the generation of one billion rupees through the entertainment tax,” the KMC spokesman said in a response to a query about the estimated revenue expected through the newly proposed tax. The proposed tax would be the second major move by the KMC to expand its tax net after imposing MUCT in July 2024, which is collected through K-Electric (KE) bills every month, generating around Rs4bn in revenue annually from Karachiites. Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab has publicly said on several occasions that the MUCT revenues are being used for city development as well as for the payment of pensions and dues of municipal employees. The KMC and the KE had signed an agreement in June 2022, which finally became effective from July 2024 after the City Council approved the levy of the charges. According to the agreement, the KE would collect the MUCT from its domestic and non-domestic consumers living within the jurisdiction of KMC through their monthly power bills. However, opposition representatives, critics and leaders of KMC employees believe that the objectives of MUCT have still not been achieved. Opposition Leader in the City Council, Saifuddin Advocate, did not oppose the implementation of the “Entertainment Tax” itself. Rather, he questioned the performance of the Pakistan Peoples Party-led city government, arguing that if an “incompetent” administration has failed to make proper and justified use of the MUCT, how can it justify generating additional revenue? “You [Mayor Wahab] should tell us what work has been carried out with the Rs4 billion collected under the MUCT, and how it has provided relief to the people of Karachi,” he asked. “Why is Karachi’s money not being spent on its residents? What improvements have been made to Karachi’s infrastructure over the last one-and-a-half years since you began collecting MUCT? So it’s not about revenue generation; it’s solely about the exploitation of financial resources”, he added. According to KMC Sajjan Union (CBA) chief Zulfiqar Shah, hundreds of retired KMC employees are still waiting to receive their pensions and other outstanding dues. “MUCT has brought us no benefit,” he said. “Our workers have been suffering since 2019. The total dues owed to our workers amount to Rs14 billion. So far, our share has consisted only of promises and assurances.” Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2026

Tuko (Kenya)

The Economic Times (India)

Charles Gatebe: How Kenyan man rose from poverty, school fees struggles to NASA scientist

Dr. Charles Gatebe rose from a humble Kenyan upbringing to NASA leadership. He shares his inspiring journey in atmospheric science, resilience, and global impact.

IT/기술

A big lifeline for marginalised Mumbai kids

Mumbai: Beneath a busy flyover in India's financial capital Mumbai, a row of pastel-coloured shipping containers houses an unlikely school serving some of the city's most marginalised children.Despite laws guaranteeing free schooling for children aged six to 14, poverty and migration continue to keep many out of classrooms, particularly in sprawling cities like Mumbai where many families survive through low-paying informal work.Crippling urban poverty also means young children selling knick-knacks on streets are still a fairly common sight at crowded traffic intersections in big Indian cities.But the non-profit that runs the free school is determined to educate its underprivileged cohort, many of whom come from homeless families that barely eke out a living.Wedged between gleaming skyscrapers and busy roads, the "Signal Shala", or traffic signal school, caters to several dozen children who have been left out of the formal education system, according to Bhatu Sawant, founder of the initiative."These children can't go to (a regular) school. So (I thought) let's do this. Let's bring the school to them," Sawant, 45, told AFP.Also read | Major change in buyer behaviour as e-scooters race deeper into BharatIndia runs one of the world's largest public school systems, but government data for 2024-25 still identified nearly 1.2 million children as "out of school", a catch-all categorisation that covers both those who have never been to school or dropped out.Free mealsFor Sawant, India's government-run schools are simply "not flexible enough for these children", while private ones charging exorbitant fees are out of the question.The signal school operates from repurposed air-conditioned containers placed on a narrow strip of land beneath a flyover, where classes and play unfold amid the constant rumble of traffic overhead.Its approach is tailored to the realities of street life.Every morning, the school bus drives through the cramped lanes of Mumbai's slums, picking up students -- a lifeline for parents who can't afford transportation.When the children file in, the first order of business is a shower, as many have no easy access to bathing facilities.Lockers are provided for books and uniforms that otherwise cannot be kept safe or clean while living in slums or on the streets.Three meals are provided free, with school hours longer than normal.Also read | Indian tourists go viral for all wrong reasons. Here's how not to become the next horror storyClasses are split by ability rather than age, with teachers adapting lessons for children who may never have held a pencil before.Older students are also taught basic skills like sitting still, speaking clearly and staying focused.The challenges are particularly acute when it comes to kids from the semi-nomadic Pardhi community, who often do not speak the local language."When the children came here, they didn't know what the days of the week were, what the 12 months were or what the seasons were," said teacher Tejasvi Borade, as the container walls rumbled from the steady stream of cars passing above.Robotics and AIFor the students, the school serves as a sanctuary from the harshness of the real world."I feel very happy seeing the school bus," said 12-year-old Pooja Pawar, whose parents take on odd jobs at construction sites."The school clothes feel nice. The breakfast is good... In school, we make cake... and dance."For others, it represents an opportunity long denied.Balaji Laxman, who once sold tissues at traffic lights to earn a few hundred rupees -- the equivalent of several US dollars -- a day, said the classrooms represent a chance to imagine a different future."I want to become a doctor," Laxman, 12, said with a shy smile.While the school steers many children towards vocational pathways, Sawant said the broader ambition is to ensure they are not left behind in a rapidly changing world."We have to prepare them for the 21st century," said Sawant, who has set up two similar schools on the outskirts of Mumbai which have robotics labs among other facilities."They should know robotics, AI, computers, 3D printing," said the educator who relies on private and corporate donations for funding, with the government helping with the infrastructure."Everything that elite class children are doing well in, they should know all of that."

NOS Nieuws