SCHOOL EDUCATION OUTCOMES: CRITICAL INPUTS FOR TAPPING THE DEMOGRAPHIC DIVIDEND
- The single most significant ASER finding is that learning levels across the country, whether in public or private school, have not improved.
- Another important finding is regarding school enrolment—from only 16% children enrolled in private schools in 2005, enrolment has gone up to nearly 30%. Present trends indicate that this number will increase to 50% by the end of the current decade. During 2007-08 and 2013-14, enrolment in government schools (both primary and upper primary) declined by about 11.7 million, from 133.7 million to 121 million, while enrolment in private schools increased by 27 million, from 51 million to 78 million. It is a moot point whether the poor learning levels in government schools have contributed to this. Paradoxically this trend is observed in rural areas, which receive funding under the SSA and other programmes.
- Some highlights of the survey of rural children conducted in 16,497 villages in 557 districts (569,229 children surveyed), are listed below:
- Marginal improvement in basic reading levels: The percentage of children in Standard V who are able to read a Standard II-level text increased from 47.0% in 2013 to 48.1% in 2014.
- Decline in arithmetic levels: The percentage of Standard III children able to solve simple two-digit subtraction problems fell from 26.1% in 2013 to 25.3% in 2014. The percentage of children in Standard II who cannot recognize numbers up to 9 has increased over time, from 11.3% in 2009 to 19.5% in 2014.
- Better provision of girls’ toilets: The proportion of schools without toilets (girls + boys) declined from 7.2% in 2013 to 6.3% in 2014. The proportion of separate girls toilets (unlocked and useable) in schools has improved from 32.9% in 2010 to 53.3% in 2013 and further to 55.7% in 2014.
- Increase in libraries in schools: The proportion of schools without libraries has declined only one percentage point from 22.9% during 2013 to 21.9% during 2014.
- Compliance on pupil-teacher ratio: There has been a consistent rise in the proportion of schools complying with RTE norms on pupil-teacher ratio, from 45.3% in 2013 to 49.3% in 2014.
- Improvement in drinking water facility: The proportion of schools with no provision for drinking water declined from 17.0% in 2010 to 15.2% in 2013 and further to 13.9% in 2014 but the proportion of schools with useable drinking water facility improved only marginally from 73.8% in 2013 to 75.6% in 2014.
- Stagnant enrolment in rural India: Over one year the enrolment of 6-14-year old children in rural India remained dormant at 96.8%, with the proportion not enrolled also unchanged at 3.3%.
- Rising private school enrolment: Private school enrolment of 6-14-year olds has risen marginally from 29.0% in 2013 to 30.8% in 2014. Among the major States which have higher private enrolment are Kerala followed by Haryana, UP, Punjab, and Rajasthan.
- Decline in classroom-teacher ratio (CTR): The steady decline in the percentage of schools meeting the RTE norm for CTR continued; from 73.8% in 2013 the ratio further declined to 72.8% in 2014.
- Decline in attendance: Children’s attendance in both primary and upper primary schools shows a steady downward trend. In 2009, attendance was at 74.3% in primary schools and 77% in upper primary schools as compared to 71.4% and 71.1% respectively in 2014.
- Same classroom for different classes: In 2014, Standard II students in about 63% of schools and Standard IV students in about 57% of schools were reported to be sitting with one or more other classes; the percentages have been increasing over the years.
