|
|
|
BLOG // DHIR JHINGRAN
|
|
There are no quick-fixes for the existing
government school system
|
|
|
|
The
new government has taken office at a critical juncture. There is a
pervasive feeling that the implementation of the Right to Education
(RTE) has been tardy and student-learning outcomes are abysmally low.
The government school system seems to be in need of a thorough
overhaul. While the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) made big strides in
improving school infrastructure, teacher availability and school
enrolments in the past decade, the quality of education is not showing
any signs of improvement. There are no quick-fixes for these
challenges. It is important to work on the root causes that afflict the
government school system.
Here are nine priority areas of work that could help the government
realise the dream of ‘education of equitable quality’ for all children.
|
|
|
|
FULL STORY >>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
VIDEO // NDTV
|
|
Learning levels in govt schools declining, says
report: Right to Education to be blamed?
|
|
|
|
|
Year
after year, report on the annual status of education has
revealed
that five out of 10 school students of class 5 in rural India cannot
read or solve simple arithmetic problems.
MORE
VIDEOS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RESEARCH // UNITED NATIONS SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR,
2014
|
|
Assessment of the educational attainment of
students and the implementation of the right to education
|
|
|
|
The
report centres on the assessment of the educational attainments of
students and the implementation of the right to education. The Special
Rapporteur on the right to education underlines the importance of
developing and applying national assessment systems which are in
compliance with international human right norms, so that education
meets the essential objectives assigned to it in human rights
conventions. He considers that such a human rights-based, holistic
approach is essential for fostering the humanistic mission of education
rather than its mere instrumental role, using a narrow scope of
assessments linked to mathematical literacy and language skills only.
The report also places emphasis on skills development as an integral
part of basic education and on the need for innovative assessment
modalities of technical and vocational education and training,
particularly in developing countries, in response to the rising
aspirations of youth, while not losing sight of the human rights
perspective.
The report concludes with recommendations to
strengthen human rights-based, holistic approaches to national
assessments of the educational attainments of students.
|
|
|
|
FULL STORY >>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
OPINION
|
DID YOU KNOW?
|
FEATURED PUBLICATION
|
|
Will entrepreneurs and private players do a better job of
running otherwise poorly performing government schools?
|
We are experiencing a 'crisis in learning'.
High
enrollment rates (96%) have not resulted in improvements in children's
ability to read and do basic arithmetic, and the gap between children
in government and private schools has widened over time. For example,
in 2013, only 18.9% of grade 3 students in government schools were able
to do basic subtraction or more, as compared to 44.6% students in
private schools.
|
Skill Vouchers
Global Experiences and
Lessons for India
Leah Verghese, Parth J Shah
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MORE
POLLS AND DISCUSSIONS
|
MORE
DYKs
|
MORE
PUBLICATIONS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
THE RTE NEWSREEL
|
|
|
|
All India/National // The Economic
Times // 23 June 2014
|
|
Profit-making education entrepreneurs can turn
around government schools with quality education
|
|
The
most important policy statement yet from the new government came from
human resources development minister Smriti Irani last week. She said
the Modi government will bring in a new national education policy after
a gap of 28 years. Our primary, secondary and higher education sectors
are in a shambles. The statute books guarantee the right to education.
|
|
|
|
Tamil Nadu // The Hindu // 22 June 2014
|
|
Parents fret over Samacheer Kalvi
|
|
It
has been three years since Samacheer Kalvi, a common syllabus for State
board, matriculation, OSLC and Anglo-Indian schools was introduced.
Parents and other stakeholders are still deeply concerned about the
learning outcomes in classrooms. Some are also seriously considering
the option of drawing their children away from the Board.
|
|
|
|
All India/National // The Economic
Times // 21 June 2014
|
|
A few simple lessons to get the education
agenda right
|
|
The
prime minister's 10-point agenda indicates seriousness about education
targets even as his government will be acting under the weight of not
just a national emergency in education but also pent up hopes and
aspirations of a whole generation of young people who are thirsting for
access to quality education. It is imperative, therefore, that the new
HRD minister acts with boldness, speed and vision.
|
|
|
|
Live Mint // Delhi (NCT of Delhi) // 19 June
2014
|
|
Aspirations bring girls to schools, lack of
toilets drives them away
|
|
New
Delhi: Rukiya Khatun, 16, often skips breakfast before going to school,
and feels tired and sleepy in the classroom, missing out on important
lessons. The reason: lack of clean toilets at her school. Khatun is not
alone. Scores of her schoolmates prefer to skip breakfast or a meal
during recreation period to avoid having to use the toilet.
|
|
|
|
Hindustan Times // Haryana // 18 June 2014
|
|
Dell foundation, govt sign MoU on improving
students’ learning levels
|
|
The
Haryana government on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding
(MoU) with the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation with an aim to
enable all government schools to achieve higher and increasing student
learning level outcomes (LLOs) through school quality improvement
programme. The state has over 15,000 gover nment schools with 27 lakh
students and 1.2 lakh teachers.
|
|
|
|
|
