One-fourth students aged 14-16 years not able to read

Findings show more than half of them struggle to do simple maths, 36% couldn’t name the country’s capital

NEWDELHI: One-fourth of the country’s youngsters in the 14-16 age group cannot read their own language fluently, while 57% of them struggle to solve a simple sum of division, said a survey report on rural education released on Tuesday.

Shown a map of India, 14% couldn’t identify it, 36% couldn’t name the country’s capital and 21% could not answer the state they live in, findings that expose the pathetic state of education in rural India.

The survey for the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) for rural India in 2017 was carried out in 28 districts spread across 24 states.

“This scenario is pretty staggering and makes you think what’s going on and what should be done?” chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian said, referring to the survey’s finding that about 40% youth having no rolemodels for the profession they aspire to join. “The learning outcomes of boys and girls are similar but in the age group of 14-18, the wedge is opening up between boys and girls. It’s important to address it,” he added.

There is hardly any difference between boys’ and girls’ enrolment at age 14 but at age 18, at least 32% females are not enrolled as compared to 28% males.

In terms of daily tasks, some simple activities were picked up for the survey, such as counting money, knowing weights and telling time. About one-fourth of the youth couldn’t count correctly. At least 44% couldn’t add weights correctly in kilograms. Checking the time is a common daily activity but over 40% couldn’t tell the hour and minutes, according to the report. Since 2006, the ASER has reported on the children’s schooling status and their ability to do basic reading and arithmetic tasks; it focused on 5-16 age group.

In 2017, ASER focused on an older age group, youth who are 14 to 18 years old and have moved just beyond the elementary school age.

BEYOND BASICS

About 2,000 volunteers from 35 partner institutions, visited more than 25,000 households in 1641 villages, surveying more than 30,000 youth of the said age group.

The report said 86% of the youth in the 14-18 age group are still within the formal education system, either in school or in col- lege. More than half of all youth in this age group are enrolled in class 10 or below.

Another 25% are either in class 11 or 12, and 6% are enrolled in undergraduate and other degree courses. Only 14% are not currently enrolled in any form of formal education.

“The report has made an attempt to look ‘beyond basics’ and explore a wider set of domains beyond foundational reading and arithmetic. Four domains were considered — activity, ability, awareness and aspirations,” said a statement issued by the organisation.

THE REPORT SAID 86% OF THE YOUTH IN THE 1418 AGE GROUP ARE STILL WITHIN THE FORMAL EDUCATION SYSTEM, EITHER IN SCHOOL OR IN COLLEGE