Disparities in schooling quality need to end for better outcomes

NAS 2021 highlights significant disparities in educational outcomes, with leading states like Punjab, Rajasthan and Haryana consistently outperforming others in Mathematics and Science (in Class 10). Conversely, states such as Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Chhattisgarh lag significantly behind. 

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This stark contrast underscores systemic issues in India’s education system, revealing the fact that despite improvements in access, quality remains uneven and needs improvement across the board.

Further, NAS 2021 also indicates a decline in student performance compared to NAS 2017, highlighting significant learning losses due to a shift from rote learning to competency-based assessments, and the impact of the covid pandemic. For Class 3, the average scores dropped by 3.9% in Language, 4.7% in Mathematics and 4.4% in Environmental Studies (EVS). 

Class 5 saw declines of 3.1% in Language, 8.4% in Mathematics and 8.7% in EVS. Class 8 experienced decreases of 1.6% in Language, 5.2% in Mathematics, 8.8% in Science and 8.3% in Social Science. For Class 10, the average scores fell by 13.4% in Mathematics, 18.6% in Science and 9.1% in Social Science, while Indian Language saw a 2.4% increase and English improved by 9.5%.

NAS 2021 also reveals a worrying trend in the learning outcomes of Indian students. The average scores of students drop significantly as they progress from Class 3 to Class 10 across all subjects. For instance, in Language, the average score declines from 64.6% in Class 3 to 52% in Class 10. 

Similarly, in Mathematics, the average score plummets from 61.2% in Class 3 to a mere 44% in Class 10. The pattern is consistent across other subjects, including EVS and Science, with the lowest scores observed in higher classes. This sharp decline highlights a critical issue: the foundational skills that students acquire in their early years are not being adequately built upon as they advance through the educational system. 

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The performance of students at the foundational level is better, but still far from optimal, indicating that even at the lowest levels, there is considerable room for improvement.

Jerome Bruner’s Spiral Curriculum Theory, which advocates the recurrent revisitation of fundamental ideas, building progressively until full conceptual mastery is achieved, demands special attention in the context of NAS data indicating a sharp decline in scores from Class 3 to Class 10. 

This pattern suggests that existing educational strategies may be inadequately reinforcing these essential concepts, resulting in progressively pronounced gaps in knowledge over time. Insights from Benjamin Bloom’s educational psychology also underscore the necessity of securing mastery in lower-order cognitive skills before advancing to higher-order thinking skills. 

This may also explain the emphasis placed on Foundational Learning and Numeracy in the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020. The noted decline in academic performance across grades suggests a premature progression to complex tasks without the requisite foundational knowledge and skills, something that Bloom’s mastery learning theory criticizes, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive understanding before academic advancement.

The NEP 2020 outlines several key strategies to address the decline in learning outcomes and enhance foundational learning. One of its primary goals is to ensure that all children attain foundational literacy and numeracy by Grade 3. This involves providing appropriate support and resources to young learners, and a shift from rote learning to a more holistic, integrated and experiential learning approach. 

By periodically revisiting core concepts and building upon them, the policy aims to develop a deep understanding of foundational knowledge that can be applied in more complex scenarios. This helps to mitigate the gaps in knowledge that contribute to the decline in performance observed in higher classes.

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Further, the NEP 2020 highlights the importance of continuous professional development for teachers. It mandates regular in-service training programmes and the establishment of National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) to ensure high-quality teaching practices across all levels of education. The policy also introduces a robust system of formative assessment that provides timely and constructive feedback to students. 

Additionally, the NEP 2020 promotes competency-based education, shifting the focus from memorizing content to achieving specific learning outcomes. This approach ensures that students master essential skills before progressing to more advanced topics, thus preparing them for the challenges of higher education and the workforce.

The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) for School Education 2023 employs a technical and structured approach to define learning standards by systematically aligning educational aims, curricular goals, competencies and specific learning outcomes that are measurable. 

This alignment ensures each educational objective is traceable to the NEP 2020’s core vision, providing a transparent and accountable framework crucial for addressing educational quality disparities highlighted by NAS 2021. The NCF’s detailed articulation of learning outcomes allows for precise assessment and targeted interventions, enabling educators to monitor and address learning gaps effectively. 

The framework also has operational guidelines for adapting learning outcomes to diverse contexts and customizing teaching strategies, ensuring all students achieve defined competencies and contributing to a more equitable and effective education system.

To address disparities in learning outcomes, states must take decisive action with the help of the Union government’s Samagra Siksha Abhiyaan. States should use NAS data to pinpoint and target lagging areas, ensuring focused interventions and resource allocation. 

Teacher training through rigorous, continuous professional development and mentorship programmes, emphasizing modern and competency-based teaching methods, should be prioritized. States should also engage parents and communities actively, making them partners in the educational process. They should also align their efforts with NEP 2020.

These steps are essential to close educational gaps and elevate the quality of education across all states. Never before has this been so urgent.