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Srinagar- The proportion of children enrolled in private schools in Jammu and Kashmir is quite high (43.6%) compared to other states, the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER)-2022 has revealed.
The report was released on Wednesday in New Delhi by Ajay Piramal, Chairman of Piramal Group and Pratham Education Foundation.
As per the report, in J&K only 0.5% children aged 6-14 years are not enrolled in the schools.
It says that the Government school enrolment fell and is currently 55.5% in the erstwhile state while all India government school enrolment rose up to 72.9%.
“4.8 percent of children in the age group of 15-16 year olds in J&K are not enrolled in schools,” the report said. The report has thrown light on gender gaps in older children in terms of their enrolment in schools.
“15-16 year old girls are more likely to be out of school than boys,” it reads.
The survey that was conducted in September-November 2022 further highlights that government school children are facing learning drops pre-pandemic, while private school children were making progress before 2022.
Regarding the school facilities, the report revealed that 86.9% of surveyed primary schools in J&K were small schools, i.e. had enrollments of 60 or less.
The report suggested that most of the children in J&K need urgent help in acquiring foundational skills in literacy and numeracy.
“The children require a big push in early grades to help them reach NIPUN Bharat goals in the next few years,” the report reveals.
“In 2022, about 40 percent of all children in Grade III were at grade level in math and about 20 percent in reading,” ASER report reads.
The survey team maintained that a great deal of efforts are being made towards achieving goals for the foundational stage (age 3-8) as outlined in the NEP 2020.
It says that the rising enrolment in pre-school classes, fewer under age children going to Grade I, FLN notifications and widespread teacher training must be maintained.
“While proportion of those not enrolled anywhere has fallen, older girls still need to be brought back to school,” it suggested.
The team further submitted that big changes in practice and appropriate activities and high effort was needed in the classroom if all children are to achieve basic foundational literacy and numeracy by Grade III by 2025.
“Targeted efforts needed to close gaps by school type. Urgent need for catch up in all upper primary or middle school grades for ensuring foundational literacy & numeracy throughout the elementary stage,” it added.
ASER is a nationwide, citizen-led household survey that provides a snapshot of children’s schooling and learning in rural India.
The first ASER survey was conducted in 2005 and repeated for 10 years. ASER 2022 is the first field-based “basic” nationwide ASER after a gap of four years. It comes at a time when children are back in school after an extended gap in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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