Skip to main content

Gujarat’s progress? Poor enrollment, high dropout of girls in upper primary schools

By Rajiv Shah 
Much against the huge claims of cent per cent enrollment, made year after year following Shala Praveshotsav and Kenya Kelavani programmes, usually carried out in early June, a new report, prepared under the Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), Government of India, has suggested Gujarat’s poor showing in enrolling children in both primary and upper primary schools. Titled “Primary Education in India: Towards Universal Elementary Education (UEE)”, the report presents a plethora of “flash statistics” showing how different states have performed in ensuring implementation of the right to education (RTE) in the recent past. The report does not just suggest Gujarat’s poor showing in enrolling children it schools; it shows neglect of the girl child — school dropout among girls at the upper primary level is one of the highest in the country, it has found.
The report shows that in 2013-14, the net enrollment rate at the primary level was 83 per cent, which means that 17 per cent children could not enroll themselves at the primary level and remained out of school. An analysis of major 20 Indian major states culled out of 35 states and union territories, whose data have been made public, suggests that only four states experienced a lower net enrollment rate than Gujarat – Jammu & Kashmir (69 per cent), Haryana (78 per cent), Andhra Pradesh (78 per cent), and Rajasthan (80 per cent). At the upper primary level, things were found to be equally bad: Gujarat’s 68 per cent children could enroll themselves, suggesting that 32 per cent were “out of school.” The states which performed worse than Gujarat were Uttar Pradesh (57 per cent), Jammu & Kashmir (55 per cent), Rajasthan (62 per cent), Uttarkhand (63 per cent), and Odisha (64 per cent).

The report specifically highlights poor status of the girl child in the school education system. Thus, while the report finds at the lower primary level the girls’ dropout of was 1.35 per cent , as against the national average of 4.66 per cent, things suddenly deteriorated at the higher primary level (classes VI to VIII), where the girls’ dropout rate shot up and reached a little above eight per cent. The only state which experienced a higher dropout than Gujarat among 20 major states was Madhya Pradesh (10 per cent). All other states — including the poorer states, not to talk of the “rich” ones – show a much lower dropout rate among girls. Thus, Assam’s dropout among girls at the upper primary level is seven per cent, Rajasthan’s is six per cent, Jharkhand’s is also six per cent, Odisha’s is four per cent, and Uttar Pradesh’s is three per cent.
As the report just presents “flash statistics” in a draft form, no explanations have been given as to why Gujarat has failed to perform well. In fact, the report suggests that the situation is bad with regard to enrollment and girls’ dropout despite the fact that, as far as school infrastructure is concerned, Gujarat ranks among one of the best. In school infrastructure, on a scale of 1, and armed with a handsome score of 0.878, Gujarat ranked No 4 among 20 major states after Karnataka, which ranked No 1 (score 0. 910), Himachal Pradesh (0.903), and Maharashtra (0.880). Thanks mainly due to school infrastructure, in which considerable funds have been spent over the last few years, Gujarat scored higher than most states in overall ranking (0.696 on a scale of 1). This was next to just three states – Himachal Pradesh (0.714), Karnataka (0.710), and Tamil Nadu (0.701) – among 20 major states.

The report came in the backdrop of Human Resource and Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani’s visit to Gujarat in June 2014 second week. Accompanied by her team, Irani visited various educational institutes in Gandhinagar. Irani herself began her “sojourn” in search of Gujarat model in education a government primary school at Kudasan, a small village near Gandhinagar, where she shared midday meal with children. Participating in the enrolment drive, Shala Praveshotsav and Kanya Kelavani, organised at the school, she said, “Gujarat would become a source of motivation for the entire nation on how to increase and achieve 100 per cent enrolment rate. The team with me is here to study and understand schemes like Shala Praveshotsav, Gunotsav and the teachers’ training programmes in the state so that these can be replicated elsewhere too.”
The report is part of the effort by an institute founded by MHRD, National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA), to provide data on the basis of what it calls “a robust information system”, which is “critical for successful planning, monitoring and implementation of any programme, particularly in the social sector”. Part of the Educational Management Information System (EMIS) of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan programme, and the District Information System for Education (DISE) developed by the NUEPA, New Delhi, the report says, the system “has been extended to all states and union territories of the country”, with the “depth of DISE coverage has increased over the years.”
Significantly, states cannot claim that data has been manipulated. The report says, that the “flash statistics” it has put out “is based on the data received from all the states & union teirroties of the country for the year 2013-14.” It adds, “The publication presents not only state-specific indicators but also brings in many new dimensions of elementary education into focus.” Thus, it incorporates key indicators on all aspects of universalization of elementary education in case of all the states and union territories of the country. In all, data were received from as many as 1.45 million schools spread over 662 districts across 35 states and union territories.

Comments

TRENDING

Eight years of empowering tribal communities through water initiatives in Chhattisgarh

By Gazala Paul*   In the heart of Chhattisgarh, amidst the echoes of tribal life, a transformative journey has unfolded over the past eight years. The Samerth organization has diligently worked to elevate the lives of indigenous communities in the Kawardha district through the project, "Enabling Baiga Community to access safe drinking water." 

Regretful: Kapil Dev retired not leaving Indian cricket with integrity he upheld

By Harsh Thakor  Kapil Dev scaled heights as an entertainer and a player upholding the spirit of the game almost unparalleled in his era. In his time he was cricket’s ultimate mascot of sportsmanship On his day Kapil could dazzle in all departments to turn the tempo of game in the manner of a Tsunami breaking in. He radiated r energy, at a level rarely scaled in his era on a cricket field. Few ever blended aggression with artistry so comprehenisively. Although fast medium, he could be as daunting with the ball as the very best, with his crafty outswinger, offcutter, slower ball and ball that kicked from a good length. Inspite of bowling on docile tracks on the subcontinent, Kapil had 434 scalps, with virtually no assistance. I can never forget how he obtained pace and movement on flat pancakes, trapping the great Vivian Richards in Front or getting Geoff Boycott or Zaheer Abbas caught behind. No paceman carried the workload of his team’s bowling attack on his shoulders in his eras muc

Martin Crowe played instrumental role in making New Zealand a force in world cricket

By Harsh Thakor* Late Martin Crowe was the perfect manifestation of how mere figures could not convey or do justice to the true merit of a batsman. Crowe was arguably the most complete  or majestic batsmen of his era or the ultimate embodiment of batting perfection, or the classical batsmen. He perished 7 years ago, due to a rare and aggressive form of cancer, follicular lymphoma, which originated in 2012. In September, we celebrated his 60th birthday but sadly he left for his heavenly abode.

How the slogan Jai Bhim gained momentum as movement of popularity and revolution

By Dr Kapilendra Das*  India is an incomprehensible plural country loaded with diversities of religions, castes, cultures, languages, dialects, tribes, societies, costumes, etc. The Indians have good manners/etiquette (decent social conduct, gesture, courtesy, politeness) that build healthy relationships and take them ahead to life. In many parts of India, in many situations, and on formal occasions, it is common for people of India to express and exchange respect, greetings, and salutation for which we people usually use words and phrases like- Namaskar, Namaste, Pranam, Ram Ram, Jai Ram ji, Jai Sriram, Good morning, shubha sakal, Radhe Radhe, Jai Bajarangabali, Jai Gopal, Jai Jai, Supravat, Good night, Shuvaratri, Jai Bhole, Salaam walekam, Walekam salaam, Radhaswami, Namo Buddhaya, Jai Bhim, Hello, and so on.

Towards 2024: Time for ‘We the People of India’ to wake up before it is too late

By Fr Cedric Prakash SJ*  It is Constitution Day once again! We, the people of India, gratefully remember 26 November 1949 when the Constitution of India was passed and adopted by the Constituent Assembly. The Constituent Assembly comprised women and men of distinction, who were able to represent the heart and soul of the people of India without fear or favour. They gave of their best, so that we may a visionary Constitution, which would be the mainstay for and of democracy in India!

1982-83 Bombay textile strike played major role in shaping working class movement

By Harsh Thakor  On January 18th, 1982 the working class movement commemorated the 40th anniversary of the Textile Workers Strike that lasted for 18 months, till July 1983. It was landmark event that played a major role in shaping the working class movement. With more than 2.5 lakh workers from 65 textile mills joining in this strike for almost two years, this strike became one of the most significant strikes in terms of scale and duration All democrats should applaud the mill workers’ united battle, and their unflinching resilience an death defying courage continues to serve as a model for contemporary working-class movements. Many middle class persons harboured opinions that the Textile workers were pampered or were a labour aristocracy, ignorant of how they were denied wages to provide for basic necessities. The Great Bombay Textile Strike is notably one of the most defining movements in the working class struggles in Post-independent India. Bombay’s textile industry flourished in

Ceasefire a tactical victory for Palestinian resistance, protests intensify across globe

By Harsh Thakor*  The Zionist leadership and Netanyahu’s government were compelled to concede the defeat of their first attempt after almost 50 days of daily fighting in the Gaza Strip.  Netanyahu was forced to concede that he was unsuccessful in suppressing the Palestinian Resistance; and that the release of the prisoners was only plausible because they accepted Hamas’ terms.

Odisha leadership crisis deepens: CM engages retired babus to oversee depts' work

By Sudhansu R Das  Over decades, Odisha has lost much of its crop diversity, fertile agriculture land, water bodies, employment potential, handicraft and handloom skills etc. The state has failed to strike a balance between the urban and rural sector growth; this leads to the migration of villagers to the urban areas leading to collapse of the urban infrastructures and an acute labor shortage in rural areas.  A large number of educated, skilled and unskilled Odia people have migrated to other states for higher education, quality jobs and for earning livelihood which plummet the efficiency level of government departments. Utmost transparency in the recruitment and promotion in the state government departments will improve governance mechanisms in the state.  "No near and dear one approach" in governance mechanisms can only achieve inclusive growth for the state on payment basis. This is a moral hazard. When so many educated young people seek employment outside the

Massive tropical deforestation: Big finance's $307 billion go to forest-risk commodities

A note on report by Forests & Finance coalition -- Rainforest Action Network, TuK Indonesia, Profundo, Amazon Watch, Repórter Brasil, BankTrack, Sahabat Alam Malaysia and Friends of the Earth US: *** A new report released on ‘Finance Day’ at COP28 by the Forests & Finance Coalition , provides a comprehensive look into the role big finance plays in driving deforestation, biodiversity loss, climate change and human rights abuses in tropical forest regions. The report reveals that since the Paris Agreement, banks have pumped over $307 billion into high risk forestry and agriculture companies linked to tropical deforestation, proving that the policies of major global banks and investors are failing to prevent continued widespread forest and biodiversity loss.

20% of Indian businesses have no emission plan in place despite climate emergency: Report

By Jag Jivan   New research underlines urgent need for strategies and transition plans to combat climate change, remain successful and meet stakeholder expectations.