Remarkable Progress: ASER-2024 Reveals Uplift in School Facilities, Yet Urgent Action Needed for FLN Advancement

Staff Reporter: Insights from ASER-2024 on Education in Arunachal Pradesh

ITANAGAR, 28 Jan: The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024, marking its 14th nationwide field survey, highlights advancements in school facilities in Arunachal Pradesh, yet reveals the state is trailing behind national averages. Improvements have been noted in aspects such as midday meals, electricity, and libraries, but foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) for early grades remain underdeveloped when compared to national standards.

The report indicates that fewer rural schools in Arunachal Pradesh receive essential directives, training, materials, or funds aimed at boosting FLN in primary education. Following the National Education Policy’s 2020 initiation, there’s been an emphasis on enhancing FLN skills for young students. Efforts include focused teacher training, provision of suitable teaching-learning materials (TLM) for early grades, and the implementation of three-month ‘school readiness’ programs for newcomers to Standard I in government primary schools.

Further findings show a rise in participation in early childhood education programs or preschools for children aged 3 to 4. However, enrolment of ‘underage’ children (below age 6) in Standard I has declined, with 21.3% of Standard I students identified as ‘underage’ in 2024. Despite these figures, overall enrolment for ages 6-14 remains impressively high at 97.2%.

The report also notes noteworthy progress in basic reading and arithmetic skills across grades, particularly in early grades. Notably, students in private schools exhibit greater learning gains than those in government schools. Encouragingly, the percentage of out-of-school children aged 15-16 has fallen below 10% for both genders.

In the digital arena, Arunachal surpasses national figures in digital task capabilities among 14-16-year-olds, with over 97% of children in this age group having access to smartphones. These insights underscore the dynamic yet challenging educational landscape in Arunachal Pradesh.

Original Source: https://arunachaltimes.in/index.php/2025/01/29/aser-2024-survey-shows-improvement-in-states-school-facilities-inputs-and-activities-related-to-fln-still-low/
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Publish Date: 2025-01-29 00:32:00