Better facilities in rural schools, but learning levels still low: ASER

Despite steady improvement in the infrastructure of schools in rural areas across the country, students continue to perform badly, shows the 'Annual Status of Education Report' (ASER) of 2014, that was released in the capital on Tuesday.

Reading levels remained low, while Math continues to be a serious source of concern. Moreover, there has been no improvement in the students' ability to read English at a lower primary grade.

Facilitated by NGO Pratham, ASER is a largest annual household survey of children in rural India on the status of schooling and basic learning. The survey focuses on an array of factors, right the rate of enrollment, infrastructure as well as improvement in terms of learning levels, which includes an assessment of whether students can read simple text and do basic arithmetic. Last year, an ASER team had visited 15,206 government schools across rural India.

According to the ASER report, the percentage of schools complying with the pupil-teacher ratios mandated under the Right to Education Act (RTE), has increased from 45.3% in 2013 to 49.3% in 2014. In 2010, this figure was 38.9%. With respect to drinking water provisions, the percentage of schools having this facility has gone up from 72.7% in 2010 to 75.6% last year.

There has been significant progress in terms of sanitation, especially the availability of useable toilets, since 2010. Nationally in 2014, 65.2% of schools visited had toilet facilities that were useable. In 2013, this figure was 62.6% and in 2010, it was 47.2%. The proportion of schools with useable toilets for girls has gone up from 32.9% in 2010 to 53.3% in 2013 to 55.7% in 2014. In four states, more than 75% schools visited had useable girls' toilets. These states are Gujarat, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana.

The availability of computers in schools has also increased slightly, shows the report. The 2014 figure stands at 19.6%, as compared to 15.8% in 2010. The proportion of schools with libraries has also increased substantially, from 62.6% in 2010 to 78.1% in 2014. In about 40.7% of schools that were visited, children were seen using library books as compared to 37.9% in 2010.

ASER 2014 findings
Pupil-teacher ratio: 45.3% to 49. 3% (in 1 year)
Drinking water provision: 72.7% to 75.6% (in 4 years)
Toilet facilities: 62.6% to 65.2% (in 1 year)
States with 75% schools having useable girl's toilets: Gujarat, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana
Computer facilities: 15.8% to 19.6% (in 4 years)
Libraries: 37.9% to 40.7% (in 4 years)