EDITORIAL ANALYSIS: Where no child is left behind

 Source: The Hindu

• Prelims: Current events of national importance(Different social service Schemes, NEP, HDI, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan etc)
• Mains GS Paper I & II: Social empowerment, development and management of social sectors/services related to Education etc.

ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS

• India ranks 132 out of 191 countries in the 2021 UNDP’s Human Development Index, which is a measure of a nation’s health, average income, and education.

INSIGHTS ON THE ISSUE

Context

National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020:

• National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy: It will be set up on priority for:
  • Attaining universal foundational literacy and numeracy in all primary schools
  • Identifying state-wise targets and goals to be achieved by 2025
  • Closely tracking and monitoring progress of the same

Human Development Index:

• HDI emphasizes that people and their capabilities should be the ultimate criteria for assessing the development of a country, not economic growth alone.
• Three Basic Dimensions of Human Development:
  • A long and healthy life
  • Access to knowledge
  • A decent standard of living.

What Steps have been taken so far?

• World Declaration on Education(1990): At the Jomtien Conference, efforts were made to bring all children to school.
• Shiksha Karmi Project(Rajasthan): Started in schools to tackle teacher absenteeism in remote villages.
  • The premise was to focus on the basics of teaching through practice.
• The Bihar Education Project(1990’s): It developed a 10-day residential in-service training for teachers, called the Ujala module.
  • Challenge: communities viewed understaffed and dilapidated schools only as election booths.
• The Lok Jumbish, or Peoples Movement for Education for All(Rajasthan 1992): It demonstrated successes, especially in tribal districts.
  • It provided a thrust to innovations and emphasized on civil society partnership.
• Unni Krishnan v. State Of Andhra Pradesh(1993): SC said, 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(2001): It aimed at the universalisation of elementary education.

Related Government initiatives for education:

• NISHTHA 2.0
• National Education Technology Forum (NETF)
• National Digital Education Architecture (NDEAR)
• Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA)
• Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM)
• National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning.
• Rashtriya Ucchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA).
• Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship (PMRF).
• Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC).
• Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
• Mid Day Meal Scheme.
• Right To Education (RTE) Act, 2009.
• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao.

What steps need to be taken?

• Governance: The Central, State and local governments need to transform governance to ensure that everyone delivers their best.
• Accountability: Ensure direct funds to schools, no teacher vacancies, fewer non-teaching tasks, and a vibrant community and panchayat connect for accountability.
• Panchayats and community collectives with very high social capital, such as women self-help groups, can help ensure that local households own the initiative.
• Empowerment:
  • Panchayats can leverage resources.
  • 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.
• Sampark Foundation initiative: It uses technology for teacher development.
  • It uses audio battery-operated sound boxes and innovative teaching learning materials.
  • It has also launched a TV, which helps teachers use lesson plans, content videos, activity videos
  • worksheets to make classes more interactive and joyful.

Way Forward

• Systematic way of recruiting: We have still not figured out a systematic way of recruiting good teachers and establishing teacher development institutions.
  • The recruitment of teachers, educators and administrators has to become a priority.
• NEP: Providing decentralized funds to schools with the community overseeing such funds is the best starting point towards achieving the NEP objective.
• Holistic efforts: Everyone from the Panchayat level to the Prime Minister must 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.

QUESTION FOR PRACTICE

1. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 remains inadequate in promoting incentive-based systems for children’s education without generating awareness about the importance of schooling. Analyse.(UPSC 2022)

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