Universalization of Elementary Education : Entitlement Imperative

Universalisation of Elementary Education: Entitlement Imperative

Dr. Gursharan Singh Kainth
Director
GAD Institute of Development Studies
14-Preet Avenue, Majitha Road
PO Naushera, Amritsar143 008
(Emails: idsasr@indiatimes.com; gursharan_kainth@rediffmail.com)

India is increasingly being recognized internationally as a knowledge hub, on the flip side only 10 per cent of its total students strength is enrolled in higher education. Education is the most important element of growth and a critical input for investment in human capital. It is indeed a fundamanetal right of every Indian child to receive at least the basic education. India is in the process of transforming itself into a developed nation by 2010. Yet we have 350 million people who need literacy and many more that have to acquire employable skills to suit the emerging modern India and the globe. Can we allow the situation to continue in which million of these children are forced into life long poverty? The need of the hour is that the parents should be able to go to any nearby school, admit their wards and happily come back with the confidence that their kids will get good value based quality education in that school.

The first major international affirmation on Education for All (EFA) was at World Conference on Education in Jomtien (Thailand) in 1990 when 155 countries including India resolved to Universalize Primary Education and significantly reduce illiteracy by 2000. The conference adopted the vision that all children have the fundamental right to basic education. Later in the World Education Forum at Dakar Senegal (2000) 164 countries including India reaffirmed the goal of education for all as laid out at Jomtien and other international conferences. It urged Governments to achieve quality basic education for all by 2015 or earlier with emphasis on girls’ education. This was followed
by the UN Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 2000 which binds countries to ensure that all children every where must complete primary schooling by 2015. The right to basic education is spelled out explicitly in Article 26 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The first paragraph of Article 26 proclaims that:

“Every one has the right to education, Education shall be free
At least in the elementary and fundamental stages.
Elementary education shall be compulsory”

Education lays the foundation of a nation. It is considered to be critical component in enhancing the enjoyments of rights that we are entitled to and for overloading social and economic deprivation or poverty. Education is important, but as a right and as a means of promoting peace and respect for human rights. However much before these international commitments and affirmations, India has begun its journey towards Universal Elementary Education (UEE). Independent India’s first Education Minister Mulana Abul Kalam Azad, in an educational conference in 1948 remarked that:

“it was the birth right of every individual to receive at least
the basic education without which he cannot fully
discharge his duties as a citizen.”

Struggle to achieve goal of Universal Elementary Education in India began during the colonial period led by the rulers of some of the princely states and national leadership involved in independent movement. Yet planned efforts in real terms with concerted policy of mass education that ensures elementary education for all become a reality only after country got independence in 1947. More than 56 years ago in 1950, the Indian Constitution emphatically stated that:

“State shall endeavor to provide free and compulsory education
for all children up to 14 years with in ten years- by 1960.”

Regrettably where we are now? India has approximately half of the world’s illiterates. Why is Indian record so dismal? But this journey was long and hard, as literacy and school participation rates were very low at that point of time. Consider the educational situation in 1950’s. The overall literacy rate was just 16.6 per cent (female literacy less than 9 per cent). The gross enrolment ratio at the primary stage (Grade-I to Grade-V covering 6 to 11 age groups) was only 42.6 per cent. At the upper primary stage (Grade-VI to Grade-VIII in 11 to 14 age group), only 1 out of 8 child was enrolled in schools, among girls only 1 out of 20. Even those who enrolled in the school, about two-third dropped out by Grade-V and four-fifth by Grade-VIII. The quality of education was poor and schooling facilities were dismal. Such was the education scenario when India embarked on the journey for attaining education for all children.

The 1990’s witnessed very intensive level of activities on the elementary education front leading to substantial improvement in the participation of children and also in overall literacy figures. Probably buoyed by this improvement, Tenth Plan set very stiff targets to achieve in terms of almost all indicators National Policy on Education in 1965, 1986 and 1992(modified) reiterated the resolve to achieve UEE. Also numbers of schemes and programme were launched over the past 56 years especially after the constitutional amendments in 1976 to include education in the concurrent list making it joint responsibilities of the Union and the states. Some of the major schemes initiated were:

• Non-formal Education-1977 later revised as Education Guarantee Scheme and Alternative and Innovative Education in 2000 for targeting out of school children.
• Operation Black Board (1987) for improving human and physical resources in schools.
• Teacher Education Scheme 1987 for teacher teaching and providing academic support.
• Mid-day-Meals Scheme (1995) to enhance nutritional status of students.

• District Primary Education Programme (1994) for achieving Universal Primary Educations.
• UNICEF assisted Janshala Programme (1988) for community participation in schools.
• Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) was launched for achievement of UEE in 2001-2002.
• Indian Parliament enacted the Constitutional 86th Amendment Act 2002 to make education a Fundamental right of every child.
• To give impetus to girls education two programme, National Programme for Education of Girls at Elementary level (NPEGEL) and Kasturba Gandhi Bal Vidayalaya (KGBV) were initiated in 2003.
• Parambhik Shiksha Kosh was created for a separate, dedicated non-lapsable fund to maintain by Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Elementary Education and Literacy by imposing two per cent cess on all direct and indirect taxes with effect from 2003-2004.

Not withstanding the expectations set in the constitution to achieve UEE benchmark within ten years, it should be recognized that the country began at an abysmally low-level in 1950 with respect to adult literacy rates and participation of children in schooling. Since then the country has achieved commendable success on the front of expansion of educational institution at different stages due to concerted and conscious endeavor of both central and state governments. While at the dawn of independence, the literacy rate was 16.67 per cent today, the literacy rate as per 2001 census is 65.38 per cent (75.85 per cent for male and 64 per cent for female). The increase of 13.2 percentage point in 2001 over 1991 is highest in a single decade since1901. The gender gap has also narrowed down from 28.84 percentage point in 1991 to 21.70 percentage points in 2001. Although the country has made significant progress in improving the entry rates in grade-I and in enrolment ratio at primary level, the completion rates at both the primary (Grade-V) and upper primary (Grade-VIII) are still very low. Out of 100 children entering Grade-I in country, only about 61 reach Grade-V and only 45 Grade-VIII. This is despite significant improvement in retention rates during 1980’s and the 1990’s. Low enrolment ratios at upper primary and secondary levels coupled with high drop out rates even within the primary stages means low completion rates at various stages.

Recent study conducted by the human resource development ministry has found that out of every two students enrolled in school drop out before reaching the ninth standard. Further the study reveals that one out of every four students does not go beyond class five. By class eight the drop out rate gets worse at 50.8 per cent. The decline in drop out rates is only modest since 1990. The drop out rates of scheduled caste (SC) and schedules tribes (ST) children declined marginally from 68 per cent and 79 per cent respectively in 1990-91 to 57 and 66 per cent in 2005. Furthermore, as many as 60 per cent of SC and 67 per cent of ST girls leave school without completing upper primary cycle of education, compared to 51 per cent of girls from general category No doubt, government is striving to achieve universalisation of elementary education by 2010 by confessed that one out of five teachers at primary level was not attending class. UNESCO report Corrupt Schools, Corrupt Universities: What Can be Done has indicated that 25 per cent teacher’s absence rate at the primary school level. The government is implementing Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (Education for All) programme for UEE by augmenting availability of school infrastructure and improving the quality of education in elementary schools, but the quality of primary and elementary education is a matter of great concern

Chairing the meting of the Governing Council of the National Mission for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh expressed his deep concern over the high dropout rates of students at primary and elementary levels. The drop rate at primary level is 34 per cent and that at elementary level is 52.9 per cent. Describing this drop rate as unacceptability high, attributed to the lack of adequate facilities, large scale absenteeism of teachers and inadequate supervision by local authorities. Reiterating the government’s commitment to UEE, Dr Singh said, “We give dates that has lost meaning. We need education for all today”. Recognizing the importance of the right based approach to elementary education, Indian Parliament has recently enacted the constitution (86th Amendment) Act 2002. The amendment places a legal obligation on states to make elementary education a fundamental right in India for children between the age group of 6 to 14 years. This is stated in Article 21(A) of the Amendments, which reads as follows:

“The states shall provide free compulsory education
for all children aged between six to fourteen years
in such a manner as the state may, by law determine”.

The 86th constitutional Amendment can be seen as a major step in the direction of clearly defining the entitlement of all children in the age groups of 6 to 14 years to formally receive at least eight years of elementary education. Although Indian constitution always preceded this right in the form of Directive Principles (Article 45) of the Directive Principles of State Policy of Indian Constitution, the Amendment has made at a justifiable right and hence a step forward. However, the Act, which would define the entitlement in more concrete terms and also the boundaries of justifiability, is yet to be formulated and passed by the Parliament. In the absence of concrete measures in the right direction, the recent 86th Amendment will remain rhetoric. But an act alone cannot achieve the goals unless the education is delivered in a manner which will take into account the socio-economic reality, and perception of people to whom it is addressed. Apart from attracting children to schools, the education system should be able to provide nourishment and inject creativity among the children. Also the aim of the education system should be to build character; human values enhance the learning capacity through technology and build the confidence among the children to face the future. The challenge before us is not a small one. No nation can become strong when it ignores its most precious natural resource- its people. No great cause is achieved without even greater efforts. Thus is a great case- one that can ennoble each of us – just as the freedom movement ennobled those who serve it. It is a cause that can be achieved only if each of us plays a part, and it is a cause, that must be achieved because the suture of our nation depends on it.

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