The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024, facilitated by NGO Pratham, highlights significant improvements in rural education. The report covers 605 rural districts and shows that government schools have made a swift recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to the National Education Policy’s foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) program.
Key highlights of the report include:
98% Enrolment in Age Group 6-14
Dropout rates in the 15-16 age group remain a concern, with 7.9% of students not enrolled at the all-India level, slightly up from 7.5% in 2022.
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Reading Levels in Government Schools
Reading abilities in government schools have improved across all elementary grades. Class III students show the highest improvement in basic reading skills, with 23.4% able to read at a Class II level. This is up from 20.9% in 2018 and 16.3% in 2022.
Government vs Private School Reading Levels
In 2018, 20.9% of Class III students in government schools could read a Class II text, compared to 40.6% in private schools. By 2024, the figures have increased to 23.4% in government schools and 35.5% in private schools.
Arithmetic Levels
Class III students’ ability to perform basic arithmetic, such as subtraction, had dropped to 25.9% in 2022. However, the ability to do subtraction has increased significantly in government schools between 2022 and 2024.
School Readiness and Textbook Distribution
Over 75% of schools implemented a school readiness program for students before they entered Class I. More than 95% of schools distributed textbooks to all grades.
Educated Parents
The report also highlights an increase in parental education levels. In 2014, 43% of mothers and 25% of fathers of children aged 3-8 had no schooling. By 2024, those numbers dropped to 24% for mothers and 16% for fathers. The proportion of mothers completing primary school or higher rose from 43% to over 64%, while the corresponding increase for fathers was from 61% to 72%.
The ASER 2024 report reflects a promising recovery in rural education, with significant strides made in literacy, numeracy, and school readiness.