One of India's great economic advantages is the youth of its population.
One
of
India
's
great
economic
advantages
is
the
youth
of
its
population
.
To make the most of this advantage, India's children need to be educated.
To
make
the
most
of
this
advantage
,
India
's
children
need
to
be
educated
.
On paper, India is doing well here.
On
paper
,
India
is
doing
well
here
.
The country has a nationwide network of state primary schools funded by a specially designed tax.
The
country
has
a
nationwide
network
of
state
primary
schools
funded
by
a
specially
designed
tax
.
96% of children aged 6-14 go to school, even in rural areas.
96
%
of
children
aged
6-14
go
to
school
,
even
in
rural
areas
.
That's well above the average for the developing world and their attendance is good.
That
's
well
above
the
average
for
the
developing
world
and
their
attendance
is
good
.
But the attainment is poor: three quarters of third graders can't read a gradeone text and 53% of grade five kids can't read at the standard they should have achieved at grade two.
But
the
attainment
is
poor
:
three
quarters
of
third
graders
ca
n't
read
a
gradeone
text
and
53
%
of
grade
five
kids
ca
n't
read
at
the
standard
they
should
have
achieved
at
grade
two
.
Levels of achievement are almost as bad in math.
Levels
of
achievement
are
almost
as
bad
in
math
.
"The main problem in India is not school entry or whether there is a local school; it's the delivery of education, the way teaching is done or not done," says Vinati Sukhdev, the executive director of Pratham, a charity that campaigns for better education in India.
``
The
main
problem
in
India
is
not
school
entry
or
whether
there
is
a
local
school
;
it
's
the
delivery
of
education
,
the
way
teaching
is
done
or
not
done
,
''
says
Vinati
Sukhdev
,
the
executive
director
of
Pratham
,
a
charity
that
campaigns
for
better
education
in
India
.
And according to Ms. Sukhdev, the country's teachers are the thirdbestpaid in the world but they're poorly trained and are often absent.
And
according
to
Ms.
Sukhdev
,
the
country
's
teachers
are
the
thirdbestpaid
in
the
world
but
they
're
poorly
trained
and
are
often
absent
.
Teacher attendance at the primary level is only 85%, according to Pratham's research and there's little punishment for those who don't turn up.
Teacher
attendance
at
the
primary
level
is
only
85
%
,
according
to
Pratham
's
research
and
there
's
little
punishment
for
those
who
do
n't
turn
up
.
The government knows that state schooling needs to improve.
The
government
knows
that
state
schooling
needs
to
improve
.
In 2009 it passed the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE), a law for the national provision of free, childfriendly education.
In
2009
it
passed
the
Right
of
Children
to
Free
and
Compulsory
Education
Act
(
RTE
)
,
a
law
for
the
national
provision
of
free
,
childfriendly
education
.
It says that there should be two teachers for every 60 students and that they should go to work regularly, get there on time, follow the curriculum, assess how well the children are learning and meet regularly with parents.
It
says
that
there
should
be
two
teachers
for
every
60
students
and
that
they
should
go
to
work
regularly
,
get
there
on
time
,
follow
the
curriculum
,
assess
how
well
the
children
are
learning
and
meet
regularly
with
parents
.
"What we need to do next is improve accountability," says Ms. Sukhdev.
``
What
we
need
to
do
next
is
improve
accountability
,
''
says
Ms.
Sukhdev
.
Schools have management committees that are supposed to include parent and local government representatives.
Schools
have
management
committees
that
are
supposed
to
include
parent
and
local
government
representatives
.
"But they don't work or people don't know they exist."
``
But
they
do
n't
work
or
people
do
n't
know
they
exist
.
''
Pratham tries to help local communities and parents drive improvement.
Pratham
tries
to
help
local
communities
and
parents
drive
improvement
.
"You should see the kind of reaction we get when they realize the teacher is paid but isn't turning up!"
``
You
should
see
the
kind
of
reaction
we
get
when
they
realize
the
teacher
is
paid
but
is
n't
turning
up
!
''
says Ms. Sukhdev.
says
Ms.
Sukhdev
.
"We can't be everywhere, so we limit ourselves to working in a few districts, where we can create model schools.
``
We
ca
n't
be
everywhere
,
so
we
limit
ourselves
to
working
in
a
few
districts
,
where
we
can
create
model
schools
.
Then we try to work together with local government to make sure every school in the district or state is raised to that level."
Then
we
try
to
work
together
with
local
government
to
make
sure
every
school
in
the
district
or
state
is
raised
to
that
level
.
''
The Read India programme is an example of what targeted help can achieve.
The
Read
India
programme
is
an
example
of
what
targeted
help
can
achieve
.
Pratham has created an easytouse teaching and assessment pack called Learn to Read.
Pratham
has
created
an
easytouse
teaching
and
assessment
pack
called
Learn
to
Read
.
It has trained teachers in how to use the pack at school and showed community health workers, volunteers and parents how it could support learning outside school.
It
has
trained
teachers
in
how
to
use
the
pack
at
school
and
showed
community
health
workers
,
volunteers
and
parents
how
it
could
support
learning
outside
school
.
The programme has now run across 19 states, involving 450,000 volunteers and training 600,000 teachers and government workers.
The
programme
has
now
run
across
19
states
,
involving
450,000
volunteers
and
training
600,000
teachers
and
government
workers
.
Among the 33 million children who have participated, the number of those who can read simple sentences has risen by 20%.
Among
the
33
million
children
who
have
participated
,
the
number
of
those
who
can
read
simple
sentences
has
risen
by
20
%
.
One of India's great economic advantages is the youth of its population. To make the most of this advantage, India's children need to be educated. On paper, India is doing well here. The country has a nationwide network of state primary schools funded by a specially designed tax. 96% of children aged 6-14 go to school, even in rural areas. That's well above the average for the developing world and their attendance is good. But the attainment is poor: three quarters of third graders can't read a gradeone text and 53% of grade five kids can't read at the standard they should have achieved at grade two. Levels of achievement are almost as bad in math.  "The main problem in India is not school entry or whether there is a local school; it's the delivery of education, the way teaching is done or not done," says Vinati Sukhdev, the executive director of Pratham, a charity that campaigns for better education in India. And according to Ms. Sukhdev, the country's teachers are the thirdbestpaid in the world but they're poorly trained and are often absent. Teacher attendance at the primary level is only 85%, according to Pratham's research and there's little punishment for those who don't turn up.  The government knows that state schooling needs to improve. In 2009 it passed the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE), a law for the national provision of free, childfriendly education. It says that there should be two teachers for every 60 students and that they should go to work regularly, get there on time, follow the curriculum, assess how well the children are learning and meet regularly with parents.  "What we need to do next is improve accountability," says Ms. Sukhdev. Schools have management committees that are supposed to include parent and local government representatives. "But they don't work or people don't know they exist." Pratham tries to help local communities and parents drive improvement. "You should see the kind of reaction we get when they realize the teacher is paid but isn't turning up!" says Ms. Sukhdev. "We can't be everywhere, so we limit ourselves to working in a few districts, where we can create model schools. Then we try to work together with local government to make sure every school in the district or state is raised to that level."  The Read India programme is an example of what targeted help can achieve. Pratham has created an easytouse teaching and assessment pack called Learn to Read. It has trained teachers in how to use the pack at school and showed community health workers, volunteers and parents how it could support learning outside school. The programme has now run across 19 states, involving 450,000 volunteers and training 600,000 teachers and government workers. Among the 33 million children who have participated, the number of those who can read simple sentences has risen by 20%.