The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) has pointed out that the basic reading ability of school students across all classes has dropped to pre-2012 levels while basic maths skills have declined to 2018 levels. It showed that the drops were visible in government as well as private schools and for both boys and girls.
The survey noted that the performance of class 8 students in basic arithmetic was more varied.
Pertinently, in maths, to ensure that a child is at least at Std II level, she or he is asked to recognise numbers up to 100 and do simple operations like two-digit subtractions with borrowing.
The ASER report provides statistics that could facilitate intervention by the education system in bridging the divide on various fronts. There is a need for incorporating various solutions and come up with interventions.
All stakeholders must come together to minimize both loss of learning and the emotional distress that comes from being left behind.
The findings of the survey should guide education policy, planning and implementation at J&K, district and classroom levels for improving learning levels of students and bringing about qualitative improvements.
The teachers and institutions are certainly confronted with a formidable challenge. The prolonged closure of schools interrupted children’s learning and has also eaten away at their foundational skills and abilities. Time lost cannot be regained but teachers are left with an extraordinary task to make good as regards learning deficits in reading, writing and comprehension in primary school. All concerned must join hands so that learning losses do not stunt education at higher levels as unfortunately appears to be the case in view of the survey.
It must be borne in mind that learning levels (basic reading and arithmetic) were not satisfactory even in pre-Covid times. However the improvements were made and that is what precisely is needed.
While there has been a significant decline in basic learning levels during the pandemic, there is a need to help the children regain lost ground.
The consequences of COVID-19 were beyond anyone’s control. Now the need is to look ahead and plan effective strategies that are indeed within one’s power to carry out. It is really what all stakeholders do will make a difference to their future pathways.