Date: 15/11/2022

Relevance: GS-2: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Key Phrases: National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, Human Development Index, National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, Jomtien Conference, 1990, Shiksha Karmi Project, District Primary Education Programme,

Context:

• In recent years, India has performed poorly in various global Indices and rankings which deal with a range of parameters viz. human development, literacy etc.
• This calls for an introspection by the government and needs for imminent corrective measures at the core of the issue i.e. improve literacy standards at the grassroots level.

Background: Addressing poor HDI and literacy

• India ranked 132 out of 191 countries in the 2021 Human Development Index, which is a measure of a nation’s health, average income, and education.
• The National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020 aims to set up a National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy on priority.
  • It focuses on attaining universal foundational literacy and numeracy in all primary schools.
  • Identify state-wise targets and goals to be achieved by 2025.
  • Closely tracking and monitoring progress of the same.

Efforts over the years to improve foundational literacy

• Since the 1990 World Declaration on Education for All at the Jomtien Conference, concerted efforts have been made to bring all children to school.
• The Shiksha Karmi Project
  • In 1987, the Shiksha Karmi Project was started in schools to tackle teacher absenteeism in remote villages in Rajasthan.
  • Active involvement of the local communities was a crucial part of the project.
  • By supporting and training local persons, the project succeeded in creating teachers.
  • The premise was to focus on the basics of teaching through practice.
• The Bihar Education Project
  • Introduced in the early 1990s to give a fillip to the universalisation of primary education.
  • It developed a 10-day residential in-service training for teachers, called the Ujala module.
  • This proved to be a challenge as communities viewed understaffed and dilapidated schools only as election booths.
• The Lok Jumbish, or Peoples Movement for Education for All
  • It was launched in 1992 in Rajasthan mainly focused on tribal districts.
  • It provided a thrust to innovations and emphasized civil society partnership and was quite successful.
• In 1993, the Supreme Court ruled in Unni Krishnan v. State Of Andhra Pradesh that the right to education for children up to age 14 is central and fundamental.
  • The District Primary Education Programme was started in 1994, to universalise and transform the quality of primary education.
• Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
  • It was aimed at the universalisation of elementary education and launched in 2001.
  • It has made a difference to school participation and has brought about improvement in school infrastructure, uniforms, toilet access, water and textbook availability.

The burning issues

• Despite so many initiatives we are still lagging in so many parameters, it is because the burning issues have not been addressed.
• The problem of quality of teachers and classroom processes
  • There is a lack of a systematic way of recruiting good teachers and establishing teacher development institutions.
• Poor governance
  • Poor governance affects the effectiveness of face-to-face or digital teacher development initiatives like Nishtha.
  • Not only the government initiatives but also the privately funded projects such as Pratham’s Read India campaign, Azim Premji Foundation etc. suffer due to poor governance of schools and teachers.

Addressing the issue of teachers’ training

• The recruitment of teachers, educators and administrators has to become a priority if we want to make a difference.
• The Central, State and local governments need to transform governance to ensure that everyone delivers their best.
• We should ensure that there are direct funds to schools, no teacher vacancies, and fewer non-teaching tasks.
• A vibrant community and panchayat connect for ensuring accountability.

Giving communities power is essential for education revolution

• There is a need to work on community connect and parental involvement.
• Panchayats and community collectives with very high social capital, such as women self-help groups, can help ensure that local households take part and work towards making an education initiative a success.
• Panchayats can leverage resources and communities can both enable and discipline teachers if funds, functions and functionaries are their responsibility.
• The Panchayati Raj, Rural and Urban Development Ministries can work on community connect and make learning outcomes a responsibility of local governments.
• Providing decentralized funds to schools with the community overseeing such funds is the best starting point towards achieving the NEP objective.

Use of technology is the way forward

• Many civil society innovations such as by Gyan Shala, Saksham, the Central Square Foundation, Room to Read, and Akshara are leveraging technology but they are not focused on mass education.
• The SAMPARK Foundation’s methodology leveraging technology for teacher development can be used for mass education by the authorities.
  • It uses audio battery-operated sound boxes and innovative teaching learning materials.
  • It has launched a TV, which helps teachers use lesson plans, content videos, activity videos and worksheets to make classes more interactive and joyful.
  • These appear to be sound methods to overcome teacher incompetency through the use of technology.

Conclusion:

• To revolutionize the Indian education system in true sense requires that the most critical phase of schooling between preschool and Class 3 is transformed.
• This can be done by improving the classroom processes and overcoming teacher incompetency.
• Therefore it is high time for everyone from the Panchayat level to the Prime Minister to ensure that all children are in school and are learning by 2025.
  • Foundational literacy and numeracy are necessary to prepare a generation of learners who will secure for India high rates of economic progress and human well-being.

Source: The Hindu

Mains Question:

Q. Empowering communities at grassroots, community connects and parental involvement is the key to achieve the objective of foundational literacy and numeracy in all primary schools. Discuss the statement in light of the existing problems in India’s primary education and poor learning outcomes. (250 words).