Tangible targets at school

India’s relative position with respect to the Education Development Index

remains poor. There is a lot to do in terms of improving schooling facilities.

EFA Global Monitoring Report 2010 (unesco)

India’s rank is 105 / 128, It has a

Low educational development Index [EDI].

In 2001 also India ranked at 105 / 127.

All this would be quite puzzling to those

who also read at the same time that there has been tremendous progress in India in recent years.

The enrolment ratio in primary education

- both gross and net enrolment ratios - have

improved over the years.

Three components of EDI: adult literacy, gender-specific EFA index and

survival rate upto Grade 1 to 5

In all the above three performances, India is seriously lagging. Adult literacy is about 66%, gender index is 0.84 and survival rate from 1 to 5 grade is also about 66%.

It is an important challenge to ensure that the children enrolled progress to complete the cycle of schooling and beyond.

Three reasons for Dropping out

1. Schools are not attractive.

2. Economic constraints

3. Lack of a tradition of going to, or

continuing in schools.

reasons for Dropping out

Unattractive school facilities represent

the most important reason that pushes children out of schools.

Economic constraints also matter very much, though they matter more for enrolment or children in schools than for their continuation in schools.

'Other‘ reasons are not that important.

Data from DISE

On an average there are only three

classrooms per primary school in India; and there are only three teachers per school.

About 14% of the schools have a single classroom each, and single teacher schools constitute a similar proportion.

Primary Schools National norm: 1 teacher per 40 students

30% of primary schools have ratios above

this norm.

In Bihar [for e.g.,] it is 1:59 and 1:92

Improvements needed in both

human and physical facilities and

overall functioning of the system.

Data from DISE

There are twelve states and U.Ts. Andhra

Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana,

J&K, M.P. Meghalaya, Orissa, Rajasthan, Sikkim,

U.P. Dadra & Nagar Haveli), with overall literacy

level below the national average of 36.23%.

What these various statistics on literacy show is

that there is a high degree of regional disparity

with regard to education specially in rural aeas.

International Journal of Educational Development, 2006

India has over a third of the world’s children (6–11 year olds) out of school —around 40 million (UNESCO, 2003).

Six states of India account for three-fourths of its children out of school (Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal).

The District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) & SSA

DPEP was launched in 1994, supported by UNICEF, funded by the central government and the states.

The Scheme of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), is being implemented in all districts of the country. The aim of SSA is to provide elementary education for all

children in the 6-14 age group.

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)

The scheme of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) was launched in 2001.

The goals of SSA are as follows : (i) All 6-14 age children in school / EGS

(Education Guarantee Scheme) centre/ Bridge Course.

(ii) Bridge all gender and social category gaps at primary stage and at elementary education level.

(iii) Universal retention. (iv) Focus on elementary education of

satisfactory quality with emphasis on education for life.

targets at school

India needs to improve on

high pupil teacher ratios,

shortage of infrastructure and

Inadequate number & level of teacher

training.

overall functioning of the system

Reference:

Jandhalya B G Tilak, Feb. 11, 2010 jtilak@nuepa.org