Syllabus: GS2/ Education
Context
- Recently, the Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development Rashtriya Sarvekshan (PARAKH RS), formerly known as the National Achievement Survey (NAS), released its findings.
About PARAKH RS
- PARAKH is a national assessment body set up under the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and mandated by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
- Objective: To standardize assessment practices across the states and to provide reliable data on students’ learning outcomes.
- 2024 Survey Coverage:
- Assessed over 21 lakh students from 74,229 schools across 781 districts.
- Subjects included language and mathematics for all grades, “The World Around Us” for Grades 3 and 6, and science and social science for Grade 9.
- 2.7 lakh teachers and school leaders also participated through questionnaires.
Key Findings of the Survey
- Top Performing States/UTs: Punjab, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Chandigarh.
- Low Performing Districts:
- Grade 3: Sahebganj (Jharkhand), Reasi and Rajouri (J&K)
- Grade 6: North, South, and South West Garo Hills (Meghalaya)
- Grade 9: Shi Yomi (Arunachal Pradesh), South West and North Garo Hills (Meghalaya).
- Grade-Wise Learning Outcomes:
- Grade 3: Only 55% could order numbers up to 99; 54% understood basic multiplication/division.
- Grade 6: 44% identified environmental/social elements; 38% made predictions based on patterns.
- Grade 9: 45% understood the Constitution and national movement; 54% extracted key points from texts.
Concerns Arising from the Survey
- Declining Competency with Advancing Grades: There is a notable drop in learning outcomes from Grade 3 to Grade 9, especially in conceptual understanding and application.
- Urban-Rural and Regional Inequities: Northeastern states like Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh continue to lag in foundational literacy and numeracy skills.
- Public School Challenges: Government-aided and state schools underperform in mathematics and sciences, particularly in middle and high school levels.
Government Initiatives for Learning Improvement
- National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: Focus on foundational literacy and numeracy by Grade 3; promotes experiential, competency-based learning, and equitable access to education.
- NIPUN Bharat Mission: Aims for all children to achieve foundational literacy and numeracy by 2026–27 through activity-based learning, teacher training, and parental engagement.
- Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan: Integrated school education scheme aimed at improving quality, access, and equity from pre-primary to Class 12, with emphasis on inclusive education and gender parity.
- Digital Initiatives: DIKSHA portal, PM e-Vidya, and SWAYAM for content dissemination, e-learning modules, and teacher training.
- TALA (Technology-Assisted Learning and Assessment): Encourages the use of AI, adaptive assessments, and digital tools for improving learning and tracking student progress.
Way Ahead
- Focused Remedial Education: Introduce targeted bridge programs and customised teaching-learning materials for underperforming regions and schools.
- Teacher Training and Accountability: Regular capacity-building workshops and learning outcome-based appraisals for teachers are essential.
- Strengthening Foundational Learning: Ensure rigorous implementation of NIPUN Bharat, particularly in low-performing districts.
- Leverage Data for Local Action: District-level data from PARAKH should be used by local education officers for context-specific policy measures.
- Strengthening Assessment Systems: Move beyond rote-based evaluations to competency-based assessments, as envisioned by NEP 2020.
Source: TH
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