Basic Math eludes rural students in Madhya Pradesh
BHOPAL: More than 72% children studying in the rural areas of Madhya Pradesh cannot
do basic division. More than 80% cannot even read basic sentences of
English. Solving two-digit addition and subtraction scares almost 77%
kids studying between standard III and V. These startling facts were
revealed in the eighth Annual Status of Education Report (ASER-2012)
released by NGO Pratham on Thursday.
The
analysis was conducted during September-October 2012 in 43 districts of
MP in which about 51,000 children (3-16 age group) from rural areas had
participated. Basic reading and arithmetic continue to be a matter of
concern for the rural students. In 2011, 38% of all children in standard
V were able to read a simple standard II level text. This proportion
fell to 33% in 2012. The percentage of standard V children in government
schools who were able to read standard II level text fell from 33.4% in
2011 to 27.5% in 2012. Figures of Vth standard kids who were able to
solve two digit subtraction problems also took a 13.6% plunge in 2012.
In 2011, there were 44.7% such children in state.
While
the percentage of children (6-14 age group) enrolled in government
schools dipped from 83.9 in 2006 to 77.8 in 2012, enrolment in private
schools during the same period saw a 6.7% growth from 11.5 %. High
absenteeism and multigrade classrooms in government schools still worry
the policy makers. While the children's attendance on a particular day
of visit remained between 71 and 73% at national level, only 60%
students were found present in MP schools. At 76% primary schools,
standard II children were found sitting with those of other classes.
Over
the past few years, school facilities have failed to improve much as
well. In 2012, less than half (46.7%) of all schools visited were found
to have useable toilets. Only 65% of schools had separate provision for
girl's toilet. But many of them were found either unusable or locked.
About one-third of schools still do not have proper library facilities.
Children in about 17% schools carry drinkable water from home.
Experts
find lack of teachers and special training programmes and the
government's no detention policy for students up to standard VIII under
the Right to Education (RTE) Act chiefly responsible for the disturbing
trend in the sector.
"Vacant
posts of teachers and few training programmes for them, poor anganwadi
system, lack of innovative teaching methods and multi-grade classrooms
are some of the main factors that could be attributed to the decline in
quality of education in MP," said a senior activist of the organization,
Sajjan Singh Shekhawat.
"Special
training modules should be introduced for those who teach the kids of
standard I as the number of students below six years getting enrolled
for the first time in schools is very high in MP," he added.
"Though
no-detention policy has helped in curbing the drop-out rate in state,
it leads to complacency among students and affects the quality of
primary education," said Pratham's state head, Oliver.
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