The schools have remained shut for about 20 months now, leading to poor learning outcomes for the children, especially the poor and disadvantaged.
Spending on Education
India's Spending vs. Other Countries: According to a recent World Bank research, India spends 14.1% of its budget on education, compared to 18.5 percent in Vietnam and 20.6 percent in Indonesia, all of which have similar GDP levels.
Estimates by the Government: According to the Ministry of Education's Analysis of Budgeted Expenditure on Education, most major states spent 2.5 percent to 3.1 percent of their state income on education.
Declining spending: In the 2021-22 Budget, despite an increase in the total budget, the central government's allocation for the Education Department was reduced from the previous year.
Decline by the states: In comparison to 2020-21, eight states and Delhi lowered or nearly maintained their budget allocation for education departments in 2021-22.
Need to enhance spending:
Lower Expenditure than Countries with Similar GDP: According to UNESCO's 2030 framework for action, public education spending should be between 4% and 6% of GDP and 15% to 20% of total government spending.
Higher Population: India should be allocating a greater amount of the budget than these countries because it has a higher proportion of the population under the age of 19.
The Lockdown Caused a Major Loss to the Disadvantaged: During the 20 months of school closures, the great majority of children enrolled in preschool and school did not have meaningful structured learning opportunities.
Loss of learning: Basic literacy and numeracy skills, as well as the habit of learning, have all been lost.
High Drop Outs: Due to a lack of contact with teachers, millions of people have dropped out of school.
Technology's Failure to Replace Teacher Education: Many State governments and the Central government have been investing public resources to use technology in education, but, there is no clear understanding of how much of public money was/is being spent on technology.
Challenges on the effectiveness of online learning: There are also concerns regarding the effectiveness of online learning, given only approximately 20% of all students have access to even pre-recorded videos.
The Lack of Transparency in Expenditure Data: The combined Central and State government spending on education was estimated to be 2.8 percent of GDP (2018-19) in the Economic Survey of 2020-21, whereas data from the Ministry of Education indicates that public spending on education reached 4.3 percent of GDP in the same year, up from 3.8 percent of GDP in 2011-12.
Findings of ASER Survey:
Reduction in enrolment: Enrolment of children in government schools has leaped from 65.8 per cent to 70.3 per cent over the last one year.
Increase in private tuition: 42% of students depend upon the private tuition up from 32.5%.This is seen as a natural outcome of families seeking external support due to the prolonged closure of schools.
Decline in private enrolment: The enrolment in private schools has dipped, for the first time in recent years, from 28.8 per cent in 2020 to 24.4 per cent in 2021.
Regional variation: There are wide variations among states, with the rise driven mainly by large northern states and all southern states, except Telangana.
Way Forward:
A Multi-Pronged Approach to Reviving the Education System: The calamity caused by the Covid-19 outbreak may provide an opportunity to address India's chronic underfunding of public education.
Focus on needs of Poor and disadvantaged students: The education system now requires not only a multi-year infusion of resources, but also a sharper focus on the needs of the poor and disadvantaged students who are most likely to be negatively impacted by such crises.
Focus on output: It is also crucial to keep track of what the public money is spent on, as well as how successfully the resources are used.
Additional Resources: In addition to greater government spending, additional resources are required for:
Re-enrolment efforts and back-to-school campaigns
Malnutrition will be addressed through expanded nutrition programmes.
Curriculum reorganisation to assist students in learning language and maths in particular
Encourage their social and emotional growth, particularly in the early grades.
Increased instructional time during vacations: Supplementary learning resources, continued teacher training and support, additional education programmes, and increased instructional time during vacations and weekends are all available.
