NITI Aayog released a policy report analysing India's school education system over a decade. The report notes gains in infrastructure and equity, identifies 11 challenges, and proposes 13 key recommendations for quality enhancement.
NITI Aayog has released a policy report titled "School Education System in India: Temporal Analysis and Policy Roadmap for Quality Enhancement", presenting a comprehensive, decade-long assessment and enrolment of India's school education system and outlining recommendations to improve quality and equitable learning outcomes across the country. The report was released by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery and CEO Nidhi Chhibber on Wednesday. The report analyses India's school education system across parameters including access and enrolment, infrastructure, equity and inclusion, and learning outcomes, drawing on data from UDISE+ 2024-25, PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024, NAS 2017 and 2021, and ASER 2024.
World's Largest Education System
India's school education system today spans 14.71 lakh schools serving over 24.69 crore students, making it the largest school education system in the world, the report noted.
Key Findings: Infrastructure and Learning Outcomes
According to the report, "the temporal analysis presented in the report highlights substantial advancements in school infrastructure, particularly in the provision of electricity, functional sanitation facilities, and inclusive infrastructure, alongside a significant expansion of the digital learning ecosystem through improved access to computers, internet connectivity, and smart classrooms across schools."
The report further stated that "encouraging gains in equity and inclusion, especially in girls' participation and the improved enrolment of SC and ST students across educational stages." It also noted signs of recovery in learning outcomes after the pandemic, particularly in foundational literacy and numeracy, supported by initiatives such as NEP 2020, NIPUN Bharat Mission and Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan.
Proposed Roadmap and Recommendations
The policy documented identified 11 major systemic and academic challenges and proposed a roadmap comprising 13 comprehensive recommendations to strengthen school education quality.
Systemic Reforms
The eight systemic recommendations include reforming school structures through composite schools, strengthening infrastructure, governance reforms, teacher deployment and professional development, expanding digital learning and promoting equity and inclusion.
Academic Enhancements
The five academic recommendations focus on transforming pedagogy and assessment, strengthening foundational learning, promoting holistic education and student wellbeing, integrating vocational education and expanding the use of AI for pedagogical innovation.
Implementation Pathways
According to the release, the report also lays out 33 implementation pathways across short-, medium- and long-term timelines and includes over 125 measurable performance indicators to track progress. It also features case studies of good practices at the Centre, states and districts across India. (ANI)
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