Private school 'lends' science teachers to state primary in pioneering tie-up
Scotsman, 24 March 2009

“ONE of Scotland's leading independent schools is sending its science teachers into a state school in a ground-breaking partnership between the public and private sectors. Physics, chemistry and biology teachers from Glenalmond College in Perthshire will visit nearby Murthly Primary to offer support and help boost interest in the sciences.” More [+]

Education panel for according greater autonomy to universities
The Economic Times, 30 March 2009

“NEW DELHI: In an effort to do away with government's interference in higher educational institutions, a high-level committee has suggested that universities self-regulatory bodies and recommended a new governing structure to help them preserve their autonomy. The committee, headed by former UGC chairman Yash Pal, has said professional bodies like AICTE, NCTE, MCI, BCI, PCI and others be divested of their academic functions, so as do away their interference on universities. ” More [+]

A 'private' effort
The Times of India, 30 March 2009

“Budget schools can help provide 'world-class education' to children from class II or III tier towns. A case in point are the Vidya Prabhat Schools being set up by Educomp to provide 'affordable schooling' to children.” More [+]

Access to quality secondary education
The Times of India, 24 March 2009

“Today's students are living in a different world - a world created by the pace of economic globalisation and scientific and technological change over the past few decades. Increasing global interconnectedness has, in turn, created a need for change in school systems. To share good practices, the Asia Society convened an Asia-Pacific Leaders Forum on Secondary Education last March in New Delhi. Subsequently, the Asia Society has recently launched a report titled New Skills for a Global Innovation Society. ” More [+]

A View Inside Primary Schools - A World Education Indicators (WEI) cross-national study
UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 2008

“Why does an education system fail to provide its students with quality education? Schools are one of the first places to look for the answers. They represent a vital element in any successful effort to improve the quality of learning. Yet, policies and programmes aiming to achieve this goal are typically limited by the lack of reliable information on how schools function. The study presented in this report seeks to contribute to the understanding of the role of schools across a range of education systems.” More [+]

Education Push Includes Merit Pay
The Times of India, 21 March 2009

“WASHINGTON-President Barack Obama laid out a broad education vision Tuesday that includes expanded merit pay for teachers and more charter schools, ideas long troubling to teachers' unions. With his congressional agenda already packed, the president is not proposing a major new piece of legislation. Instead, he spelled out the goal of a "cradle to career" education system aimed at serving Americans better at every level. He said he would use the budget to expand programs that work and encourage voluntary action by states and individuals.” More [+]

Lessons in apathy
Frontline, Volume 26, Issue 07, Mar. 28-Apr. 10, 2009

“The neglect of the public school system and the encouragement of private schools characterise the UPA's education policy. Primary education in India has the history of being an object of neglect by the Indian state through the 60 years of Independence. " More [+]

Governor laments sorry state of country's higher education system
The Times of India 24 March 2009

“How distressing it is when one reads in UNESCO released Global Monitoring Report that places India in the bottom rung of 15 countries with a low education for all development index," chancellor and Governor TV Rajeswar said adding that India's fight against illiteracy had slipped from 100 last year to 105 now. He further stated that our higher education system was not geared to produce accountability or attracting talents. The UGC survey rated 68 per cent institutions to be of medium to poor quality. The National Assessment and Accreditation Council's (NAAC) report should be considered as a wake up call. "To put it bluntly, close to two-third of our universities and 90 per cent of our colleges are functioning below even the most minimal level of academic acceptability," he said.” More [+]

Fee hike: High Court seeks reply from Delhi Govt
Hindustan Times, 26 March 2009

“The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought the response of the Delhi government following a PIL challenging the decision to allow private schools to hike tuition fee. The judges observed that the fee hike was prima-facie "highly objectionable". Issuing notices to the government through the Education Department, and the Action Committee of Unaided Recognised Schools, a division bench comprising Chief Justice A. P. Shah and Justice Sanjiv Khanna sought replies by April 29.” More [+]

Are Educational Vouchers Only Redistributive?

"Voucher programs expand recipients' choice sets, so standard economic theory suggests they improve their welfare. However, it is less clear whether vouchers increase educational productivity or are purely redistributive, benefiting recipients only by allowing them to obtain more desirable peers at the expense of other students. We take advantage of an educational voucher program in Colombia, for which spots were allocated by lottery, to address this question."

Eric Bettinger, Michael Kremer, Juan E. Saavedra, Harvard 2008

Education at the Primary Level in India:

Primary Level Under-age & Over-age Children, 2007-08: 15.07 %

Average Drop-out Rate at Primary Level, 2007-08: 9.36 %

Retention Rate at Primary Level, 2006-07: 73.71 %

DISE 2007-08: Flash Statistics

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