This document summarizes current statistics on rural education in India. It finds that while 96.7% of rural children ages 6-14 are enrolled in school, only 71% attend on average days. Private school enrollment has been rising annually but varies significantly by state. School facilities have generally improved between 2010-2014 in areas like midday meals, libraries, computers, and toilets. However, reading abilities remain low, with half of children in 5th grade unable to read at a 2nd grade level. To improve basic reading and learning, the document recommends grouping children by ability rather than grade, starting instruction at each child's level, and encouraging speaking, discussion, and problem-solving to build early foundations.

1. Current Scenario of
Rural Education in India

2. Are all children going to school in India?

3. 96.7 % of children (in the age 6-14 years) are enrolled in
school in rural India.
Visit to a government school on any random day in the
month of September, October or November shows that
about 71% of enrolled children are attending school on
that day.
But there is a lot of variation in daily attendance across
states.

4. What type of school are children going to?
Changes over time?

5. For the age group 6-14,
private school enrollment has
been rising year on year
Source: asercentre

6. But there is a great deal of
variation across states in
levels and pace of growth
over time.
Source: asercentre

7. Facilities % in 2010 % in 2014
Midday meals being served on day of visit 84.6 85.1
Playground 62 65.3
Small primary schools 27.3 36
Schools with library books 62.6 78.1
Schools with computers 15.8 19.6
Schools with drinking water available 72.7 75.6
Schools with useable toilets 47.2 65.2
Schools with useable girls' toilets 32.9 55.7
Complying with pupil-teacher ratio norms 38.9 49.3
Complying with classroom-teacher radtio norms 76.2 72.8
Boundary wall 51 58.8
School facilities are showing improvement over time

8. How well can children read in 2014?
Reading Levels: All India (rural)
Reading is the foundation skill.
Without being able to read well,
a child cannot progress in the
education system.

9. Grade All Children
Std III 2.36
Std V 4.81
Std VII 74.6
% of children enrolled in different grades who can just
read Std II level text
Of all children enrolled in Std V, about half cannot read at Std II level.
However, the reading levels have changed over time.

10. Std V reading levels over time (2008-2014):
All India (rural)
Source: asercentre

11. What can be done to improve basic
reading and learning in children?

12. Reaching from the grade level text book is not
helpful for these children unless they can read
and understand

13. Need to start from the child's level. Need to use
appropriate methods to help them progress.

14. Grouping by level and not by grade can make
teaching efficient and effective for acquiring
these basic skills quickly so that further progress
can be made on the foundations that are built.

15. Strong focus is needed in Std I & II to ensure
that basic skills are built in these early years.

16. Children need to be encouraged to speak,
discuss, express their opinions and solve
problems together.

17. Parents need to understand what the learning
goals are.

18. This slide is presented by......
Asha Bhavan Centre
Registered Social Organisation
www.abcindia.org