What to Read in Indian Express Editorial( Topic and Syllabus wise)

Editorial 1 : A Recovery, and More

 

Context: ASER report brings good news that classrooms have recovered post Covid.

 

Introduction: Data from ASER 2024 helps track the progress of foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) skills across the country. The report shows more than a full recovery from the post-pandemic learning losses.

 

Reading Trends from the Report

• Class III: The proportion of children in Class III who are able to read at the Class-II level, had risen slowly from 23.6% in 2014 to 27.3% in 2018 and then fell drastically to 20.5% in 2022.
  • Now we have a full recovery with the proportion of Class III children reading fluently at 27.1%.
• Class V: The proportion of children in Class III who are able to read a Class-II text had risen from 48% in 2014 to 50.5% in 2018, then falling to 42.8% in 2022, and finally recovering to 48.8% in 2024.

 

Arithmetic Trends from the Report

• Class III: The proportion of children in Class III able to do at least subtraction rose from 25.4% in 2014 to 28.2% in 2018 and then fell to 25.9% in 2022. In 2024, this proportion stands at 33.7%.
• Class V: The proportion of children in Class V able to do at least division stands at 30.7% in 2024.

 

Government Schools Driving the Recovery

• Historical Context: Government schools have traditionally lagged behind private schools in learning outcomes.
• Post-Pandemic Recovery
  • Government schools have shown remarkable improvement in both literacy and numeracy.
  • Private schools have not yet recovered to pre-pandemic levels.
• Example: In Class III, government schools saw a 36.6% increase in subtraction skills (20.2% to 27.6%), compared to a 10.2% increase in private schools.

 

Factors Behind the Improvement

• National Education Policy (NEP) 2020
  • Emphasis on foundational skills (FLN) as a national priority.
  • Systemic push to improve learning outcomes across states.
• State-Level Efforts
  • Low-performing states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu have shown significant progress.
  • High-performing states like Himachal Pradesh and Maharashtra have also recovered from pandemic losses.

 

Case Study: Uttar Pradesh

• In 2014, only 6% of government school Class III children could read a Class II level text.
• There was steady improvement in the next four years — in 2018, 12.3% of children in government schools could read a Class II level text.
• UP was one of the few states not to post a learning loss for Class III in 2022, with the proportion rising to 16.4%.
• In 2024, the proportion of government school children in Class III who are able to read at Class II level is 27.9%.
• UP government schools have achieved their highest learning levels in 20 years, both in literacy and numeracy. It signals a serious focus on improving FLN abilities.

 

Broader Implications

• National Mission: For the first time, India is united in improving FLN skills among primary school children.
• Diverse Approaches: States are adopting varied strategies to meet NEP 2020 goals, reflecting India’s diversity.
• Beyond Recovery: The improvements signify more than just a recovery; they indicate a systemic shift towards prioritizing foundational learning.

 

Conclusion: ASER 2024 demonstrates a strong recovery in FLN skills, driven by government schools and supported by NEP 2020. Continued emphasis on foundational skills and state-level innovations will be key to achieving long-term educational goals.