‘25 pc kids can’t write even at 14’

Notwithstanding the plans of the government for universal elementary education by 2010, 18 per cent of the girls in the country drop out of ...

Notwithstanding the plans of the government for universal elementary education by 2010, 18 per cent of the girls in the country drop out of schools by the age of 14, and an average 25 per cent of all schoolchildren cannot write a dictated sentence by that age.

The statistics came out of a nationwide survey conducted in June and August, and presented to the Planning Commission by Pratham, an organisation working on elementary education. In response to the Commission’s request for a status on school education, Pratham conducted a ‘rapid assessment survey’ in 27 districts, for two age groups, seven-10 and 11-14.

Among the findings was that about 29 per cent boys and 33 per cent girls were out of school in the age group of 11-14 in Andhra Pradesh. The national average is eight per cent and 18 per cent respectively. The survey also tested children for abilities in reading, writing and arithmetics. The reading test included reading stories, paragraphs, words and alphabets.

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Madhav Chavan of Pratham said, ‘‘About 80 per cent children who go to Zila Parishad schools do not have home support. A trained teacher cannot do much without parent support. Therefore, adult education must supplement elementary education.’’ Villages and children were picked up randomly in the districts selected for survey.

In UP’s Allahabad and Lucknow districts, about 79 per cent government schoolchildren between seven to 10 years could not read.

When it came to mathematics, the UP scenario is dismal — 95 per cent children between seven to 10 years could not do basic mathematics. And 65 per cent were clueless even at 14. The trend is similar in Madhya Pradesh’s Baitul and Vidisha districts where 31 per cent children in government schools, till they were 14, could not read and 41 per cent could not write.

In Bihar, 61 per cent children in the age group of seven-10 could not read.

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In southern states, among the Andhra Pradesh government schoolchildren between seven-10 years, 42 per cent could not read. Also, 32 per cent in Tamil Nadu, 30 per cent in Karnataka and only four per cent in Kerala could not read simple words. Private schools seem worst in Assam’s Kamrup district where 48 per cent children between seven and 10 years could not read.