Most rural kids 14-18 can’t do Class 3 math, and over 25% can’t read: ASER 2023

Syllabus: GS-III;

Subject: Social Justice;

Topic: Issues relating to the development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education.

Tags: #ASER2023#DigitalLiteracy#STEM#VocationalTraining#Educational Enrollment.

Context: Rural Indian youth struggle with basic skills; ASER 2023 finds that 25% can’t read, and 56.7% can’t solve simple division.

Issue: ASER Report.

Synopsis:

Highlights of the Report:

• Conducted in 28 districts across 26 states, involving 34,745 students.
• Assessed foundational reading, arithmetic abilities, and digital awareness.
• More than half (50%) of 14-18 year-olds in rural India struggle with basic three-digit division, typically taught in Class 3-4.

1. Reading Skills:

• 5% of the surveyed youth could not read a Class 2-level textbook in their regional language.
• 7% struggled to read sentences in English.
• 5% of those who could read did not understand the meaning.

1. Mathematics Challenges:

• 7% of students could not solve a simple 3-digit by 1-digit division problem.

1. Application of Skills:

• Only around 45% could calculate the number of hours a child slept based on bedtime and waking time.
• In measuring an object with a ruler, 85% were correct at the ‘0’ mark, but only 40% gave the right answer when the object was moved.

1. Gender Disparities:

• Boys generally outperformed girls in basic numeracy and reading skills.
• For example, 45% of boys could divide compared to 41.8% of girls.

5. Educational Enrollment:

• Despite poor foundational skills, 86.8% of youth aged 14-18 are enrolled in educational institutions.
• This challenges the concern that older children might drop out during the pandemic.

1. Stream Preferences:

• 7% of youth were enrolled in Arts/Humanities, 31.7% in STEM, and 9.4% in Commerce. More males (36.3%) enrolled in STEM than females (28.1%).

1. Technology Access:

• 89% of surveyed youth had smartphones in their households, and 92% knew how to use them. Indicates a significant shift in technology adoption, especially during the pandemic.

Conclusion:

Emphasizes the need for foundational learning and life skills for both academic advancement and daily life. Urges attention to quality education to harness India’s demographic dividend for economic growth.

Source: Indian Express