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Source-This post on ASER 2023 Report for better education has been created based on the article “Data for better education, a brighter future for students” published in “The Hindu” on 13 April 2024.
UPSC Syllabus-GS Paper-2- Issues Relating to Development and Management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
Context – The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2023 was released in mid-January this year. It has highlighted the foundational skill of 14–18-year-old students.
What are the findings of the ASER 2023?
1) Reading abilities – The ASER 2023 Beyond Basics survey was carried out in 28 rural districts across 26 States of the country. The report highlighted that overall, 26% of 14–18-year-olds cannot read a standard two-level text in their regional language.
2) School Enrollment-As per the findings of the report,57% of the 14–18-year-olds surveyed students, who do not have basic reading skills are enrolled in standard 10 or below. 28% of these children are not enrolled in school, college or a vocational institution.
3) Fluency and comprehension-Of the children in standard eight who could not read standard two level text fluently in 2022, almost half could read a standard one level text (i.e., a simple paragraph). Recognizing letters or decoding simple words is not the major challenge most face.
4) Access to reading material-ASER 2022, and later the State of Elementary Education in Rural India Report highlighted that only a small fraction of rural households has reading materials, other than school textbooks.
5) Aspiration of students – The ASER team conducted focus group discussions with children of the 14-18 years old in 3 districts. More than 60% of the surveyed children want to obtain at least a college education, with a higher percentage of girls aspiring for a college education (65%) when compared to boys (59%).
6) Vocational Education- In some places vocational education was looked down upon and perceived to be a last resort for those who couldn’t get white-collar jobs whereas in places like Solan in Himachal, it was taken with great enthusiasm due to introduction of relevant e vocational programs like tourism and hotel.
What is the reason behind such poor performance of students?
1) Lack of foundational skills in the primary grades- As per ASER 2018 report, around 32% of standard seven and 27% of standard eight children could not read a standard two-level text. Thus, it becomes extremely difficult for the children to acquire foundational skills in later grades if they have not acquired it in their primary grades.
2) Facing embarrassment-In 2022, nearly half of the kids in eighth grade who couldn’t read at a second-grade level could read at a first-grade level. Recognizing letters or decoding simple words is not the major challenge most face.However,they are often ridiculed and therefore, many of these children start to hate reading.
3) Lack of connections– As per ASER, almost half of the surveyed 14–18-year-oldss who aspire to become a doctor or join the police department, do not have access to anyone working in that profession.
Read more- On India’s Public Education System
What should be the way forward?
1) Ending the shame-There is a need for guidance, practice, and lots of encouragement and motivation to children who are not able to read properly.They must not be ridiculed by anyone.
2) Community libraries– They can create rich and vibrant spaces that can foster reading, creativity and critical thinking. They need to be managed effectively to rekindle an interest in reading.
3) Leveraging Technology-There is a need to leverage digital technology to equip youth with the foundations of their aspired professions and bridge connections with relevant professionals. For ex-A student who wants to become nurse can undertake online foundational courses on nursing and related subjects.
4) Utilizing data– Data provided by various surveys can provide crucial pointers for action. It can help in policy formulation and suggesting corrective actions.
Question for practice
What are the findings of the ASER 2023? How can these finding help in taking corrective actions?
