Hello iRA-D-AR readers
Education is too important a subject to be left to few experts, politicians and bureaucrats. It could not be more true in a country like India with its ethnic, linguistic, religious, and geographic diversity. There are Indians who earn less than a dollar a day and there are Indians would find it difficult to keep count of their earnings. Top down approach to policy making for such a nation, where half of the 1.27 billion people are in 0-25 year age group, is unlikely to fill the knowledge gap that perpetuates many of India's social and economic problems.
According to a 2013 report that collected data from 327,397 households in rural India 47.3% of children at end of standard I could not read even a letter, 32,3% could not read a word, 12.6% could read a word, 4.4% could read text of the level expected at standard I and 3.6% could read text of the level expected at standard II. 74% of children in standard VII could read text expected at standard II.
The reading competence developed in private schools is better than in the government schools but still it is no consolation to note that only 63.1% children in standard V could read standard II level text in private schools and that percent has hardly changed between 2009 and 2013 (see table below).
One in five children attending government school in standard five could do division. Only 18.9% of children in standard III in government schools could do subtraction. The most worrying aspect of the following table is the declining trend in improving the numerical abilities of Indian children both in the government and private schools. While India can rightly take pride in designing and launching satellites, its primary education system seems to be matter of real concern.
The current minister of Human Resources Development in India has called for more people to contribute to new education policy formulation. If this announcement is executed as intended, it qualifies as the most important decision by the central government in India. I hope that the announcement will be taken up seriously not just by the minister and her office but also by experts, parents and others. Education is one of the most important keys, if not the most important key, to unlock the bottlenecks to removal of poverty and to well being billion plus of the planet's population that inhabits India.
I invite you to share your thoughts and suggestions on this blog by posting your views in brief but focussed way. Please respond with any thoughts you have with one of the following six headings:
Improving access and quality of higher/vocational education: Put subject heading: HE
Encouraging STEM (science, technology, engineering and medicine): Put subject heading: STEM
Encouraging arts,humanities and other areas: Put subject heading: ARTS & HUMANITIES
Life long learning, professional development after formal qualifications: Put subject heading: LIFE LONG LEARNING
I look forward to reading your contributions.
Education is too important a subject to be left to few experts, politicians and bureaucrats. It could not be more true in a country like India with its ethnic, linguistic, religious, and geographic diversity. There are Indians who earn less than a dollar a day and there are Indians would find it difficult to keep count of their earnings. Top down approach to policy making for such a nation, where half of the 1.27 billion people are in 0-25 year age group, is unlikely to fill the knowledge gap that perpetuates many of India's social and economic problems.
After one year in school 47 out of 100 children do not recognise alphabets
According to a 2013 report that collected data from 327,397 households in rural India 47.3% of children at end of standard I could not read even a letter, 32,3% could not read a word, 12.6% could read a word, 4.4% could read text of the level expected at standard I and 3.6% could read text of the level expected at standard II. 74% of children in standard VII could read text expected at standard II.
 |
| Source: ASER 2014 Report |
The reading competence developed in private schools is better than in the government schools but still it is no consolation to note that only 63.1% children in standard V could read standard II level text in private schools and that percent has hardly changed between 2009 and 2013 (see table below).
 |
| Source: ASER 2014 Report |
After one year in school 41 out of 100 children cannot count 1-9 numbers
The numerical abilities also are worrying. Only 24.3% of standard VIII could do subtraction and 46% could do division. 41% children enrolled in standard I could not recognise numbers 1-9. Only 26.4% children in standard VII could subtract. This is just part of the evidence that shows that the top down approach to policy making in the last 67 years since independence of the country in 1947 has not yielded elementary educational goals leave aside the development of human potential that an educated nation could unleash for individuals to live a good life. |
| Source: ASER 2014 Report |
 |
| Source: ASER 2014 Report |
You can make a difference to education in India
I invite you to share your thoughts and suggestions on this blog by posting your views in brief but focussed way. Please respond with any thoughts you have with one of the following six headings:
Improving access and quality of education in primary schools: Put subject heading PRIMARY
Improving access and quality of education in high/higher secondary schools: Put subject heading: SECONDARYImproving access and quality of higher/vocational education: Put subject heading: HE
Encouraging STEM (science, technology, engineering and medicine): Put subject heading: STEM
Encouraging arts,humanities and other areas: Put subject heading: ARTS & HUMANITIES
Life long learning, professional development after formal qualifications: Put subject heading: LIFE LONG LEARNING
I look forward to reading your contributions.
