Despite significant progress in expanding access to education, India continues to grapple with alarmingly poor learning outcomes that threaten to severely handicap the country’s demographic dividend. As per the latest ASER survey, only 50% of grade 5 students could read a grade 2 level text fluently, while just about 25% could do double digit subtraction. This reveals the deep crisis in achieving foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN), which handicaps students early on and cascades into future academic and skill deficiencies.
Multiple systemic issues contribute to this paradox of enrollment not translating into commensurate learning.
- First, an overemphasis on curriculum coverage and rote learning for performance in exams, rather than building core competencies. The RTE’s ‘no detention’ policy also led to automatic promotion without ensuring grade-level proficiency.
- Second, inadequate teacher capacity and training, with most lacking skills for imparting foundational skills in a focused manner. As per DISE data, ~16% teacher positions remain vacant.
- Third, lack of exposure to quality early education, which is vital for FLN. Only around 50% children attend pre-primary classes.
- Fourth, inequities in access to online education during pandemic closures, with disadvantaged students lacking digital infrastructure.
Addressing this effectively requires multipronged efforts:
- Prioritizing competency-based learning over one-size-fits-all curriculum coverage, and aligning assessments to learning levels rather than grade promotion. NEP 2020’s emphasis on FLN is a right step.
- Strengthening teacher training infrastructure and integrating technology aids to customize pedagogy per student competency gaps. Initiatives like NISHTHA are welcome.
- Expanding access to quality early education, especially for disadvantaged students, through strengthened ICDS and pre-primary public provisions.
- Leveraging technology while ensuring inclusivity through expanding digital infrastructure and multilingual e-resources to bridge equity gaps.
The paradox of poor learning notwithstanding promised enrollment reflects foundational gaps in aligning India’s education system to students’ learning needs. Sustained efforts on teacher accountability, competency-based assessments and leveraging technology to enhance access and equity are vital alongside the policy emphasis on FLN. Transforming enrollment to meaningful learning will critically hinge on undertaking these reforms at an unprecedented scale.
