ASER Report 2022 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

Introduction

The 17th Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) for 2022 has been released by Pratham, an NGO that conducts surveys on school enrolment, attendance, and reading and arithmetic abilities of children aged 6 to 14. The report, which surveyed 7 lakh children in 19,060 villages across 616 districts, highlights both positive developments and concerns in education, following two years of school closures due to Covid-19.

Challenges faced in education:

• One of the main challenges is to attract more youngsters and graduates to the teaching profession. Another challenge is the increasing trend of privatization in education at all levels, which affects not just schools but also primary, secondary, and higher education.
• The higher education sector is facing a major problem, as graduates are being produced without the necessary skills to enter the workforce. The focus on producing degree holders without vocational skills is a significant issue. 
• Although attempts have been made to introduce vocational skills at the school level, these plans have not been successful. In addition, the lack of good secondary and higher secondary schools is contributing to the shift towards private education and represents a failure of the public-school system, despite the implementation of the Right to Education Act.

Education agenda for a New and Changing India

• The adoption of technology is crucial for teaching and assessing new skills that are relevant to the 21st century. This requires well-defined public policy, a long-term commitment, and a systematic approach. Our education system should focus on all-round development and creativity rather than rote memorization. We need to promote practical and visual education.
• Given the failure of previous efforts, a radical overhaul of our education infrastructure is necessary, with the assistance of countries such as Finland, which have a proven track record in providing quality school education. This is an affordable option that we should consider.
• Providing universal quality education is the responsibility of various stakeholders, including governments, schools, teachers, parents, media and civil society, international organizations, and the private sector.

Way Forward

We need a complete paradigm shift in our education system. Although there are positive signs, there is still much work to be done. The higher education sector must diversify and improve its skilling efforts. Currently, only about 5% of the Indian workforce has any training in skills, which is a major concern for India's demographic future.

Conclusion

• We need an education system that promotes all-round development, creativity, and practical learning rather than rote memorization. It is high time that India considers school education as a crucial strategic investment and infrastructure project.
• Providing universal quality education is the shared responsibility of various stakeholders, including governments, schools, teachers, parents, media and civil society, international organizations, and the private sector. India could have had the world's largest pool of well-educated and highly trained workers if it had started revamping school education during economic liberalization.
• By focusing on providing world-class education, India can become a developed nation sooner than expected. Education needs to address access, equity, quality, and skill development equally in all sectors.
• The successful implementation of reforms and ideas envisioned in the NEP 2020 will bring about a fundamental transformation in India. In the 21st century, with a focus on knowledge-driven growth, India needs to dominate the future decades and fulfill the educational needs of its young population.