David Beckham surprised everyone by turning up at a girls' school in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday.
The former England football captain and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador dropped in to witness Project-Based Learning in full swing at the MJPAPBCWREIS school, Kothavalasa, a town located near Visakhapatnam.
His visit is part of a wider Mantra4Change programme supported by Education Above All that is improving classrooms across Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and Nagaland.
Beckham's visit brought attention to a hands-on approach to schooling that places student projects, teamwork, and real-world problem-solving at the centre of learning.
From leading a lively reading circle to planting trees with digital IDs and joining a fiery one-touch football drill, Beckham had a ball with the kids.
The students also proudly showed off their English, Maths, and Science projects while explaining how PBL fuels confidence, teamwork, and real-world skills.
"Great day in India going back to school supporting Education Above All's project based learning initiatives so much fun," he said on Instagram.
'As you can see, I'm back in India and today, I'm going back to school,' Beckham says in the video, in which he also showcases his soccer skills to the students and played football with them.
'The girls greeted me with a welcome dance, made musical instruments, planted trees and got involved with their football games,' he added.
'It gives us great joy that Sir David Beckham chose to visit one of our MJP schools. It's a proud moment for all of us in the MJP society. His presence at our school in a place like Kothavalasa is a beautiful reminder that when we work with the right intent and dedication, extraordinary things can happen. Project-based Learning has energised our classrooms, and we hope to keep nurturing this spirit of learning,' said P Madhavi Latha, Secretary, MJPAPBCWREIS.
<p'Thank you #DavidBeckham, legendary footballer & @UNICEFIndia Goodwill Ambassador, for visiting our Govt Residential School in Kothavalasa near #Vizag. Your heartfelt interactions, encouragement and playful energy lit up our classrooms and our playground,' Andhra Pradesh Human Resources Minister Nara Lokesh said on X.
'Our students were thrilled to learn how to bend it like Beckham -- lessons they will carry with them for life! We deeply appreciate your commitment to children's dreams and education.'
© 2025