ASER Report 2023
Description
ASER Report 2023
description: Read about ASER Report, role and functions of ASER, findings of the study and significance
The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) is an annual survey that assesses the status of education in rural areas of India. It is conducted by the non-profit organization Pratham.
ASER focuses on evaluating the basic reading and arithmetic skills of children in the age group of 6 to 16. The report provides valuable insights into the state of education at the grassroots level and serves as a crucial tool for policymakers, educators, and stakeholders to understand the challenges and gaps in the education system.
Role and Functions of ASER:
1. Assessment of Learning Outcomes: ASER's primary function is to assess the learning outcomes of children in rural areas. It measures the basic reading and arithmetic abilities of children, providing a snapshot of their educational achievements.
2. Monitoring Educational Trends: ASER plays a vital role in monitoring trends in education over the years. By conducting the survey annually, it helps track changes and improvements in learning outcomes, infrastructure, and other aspects of the education system.
3. Identifying Gaps in Education: The report identifies gaps and challenges in the education system, such as disparities in learning outcomes between different regions and demographics. This information is crucial for policymakers to design targeted interventions and policies to address these gaps.
4. Policy Advocacy: ASER serves as a tool for advocacy and policy formulation. The findings are used to advocate for improvements in the education system and to influence policy decisions at the national and state levels.
5. Empowering Communities: ASER involves local communities in the assessment process. This community engagement not only ensures a more accurate and localized assessment but also empowers communities to be actively involved in the improvement of education in their regions.
6. Promoting Accountability: By providing a comprehensive and transparent evaluation of the education system, ASER contributes to promoting accountability among various stakeholders, including government agencies, educators, and parents.
7. Informing Educational Research: Researchers and academics use ASER data to conduct studies and gain insights into the factors affecting education in rural areas. The data collected is a valuable resource for educational research and analysis.
8. Raising Awareness: ASER raises awareness about the importance of quality education and the challenges faced by rural communities. It serves as a platform to highlight the need for collective efforts to improve the overall education scenario.
Why focus on the 14-18 age group?
India has the largest youth population in the world. It is important to ensure that these young people have the skills and the opportunities needed to help them build a better future for themselves, their families, and for the country. The National Youth Policy 2021 articulates a ten-year vision for youth development aiming to ‘unlock the potential of the youth to advance India’, and catalyse development across education, employment and entrepreneurship, youth leadership and development, health and fitness, and social justice.
The Right to Education Act (RTE) guarantees free and compulsory education up to the age of 14, by when most children complete Std VIII. It is important to understand children’s pathways after leaving elementary school, before they become adults at the age of 18. Their preparedness to take on adult responsibilities is crucial to their personal, social and professional success in the future.
ASER 2017 findings revealed that even among this older age group, a large proportion of youth lack foundational reading and arithmetic abilities. In 2017, about 25% of youth in this age group could not read a basic text fluently in their own language. More than half could not solve simple 3-digit by 1- digit division problems. With regard to applied literacy and numeracy skills, most youth struggled to understand written instructions and do financial calculations.
Findings
• The ASER 2023 is based on a survey conducted in 28 districts across 26 states, reaching out to 34,745 youths in the 14-18 age group.
o One rural district was surveyed in each major state with the exception of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, where two such districts were surveyed.
• The youths were surveyed on 4 points –
o Basic reading, math and English abilities;
o Application of basic skills to everyday calculations;
o Reading and understanding written instructions; and
o Financial calculations that need to be done in real life.
• Trends on basic learning:
o Overall (of those aged 14-18), a quarter (26.5%) could not read a Class 2-level textbook in their regional language, and a little less than half (42.7%) could not read sentences in English.
o Of those who can read these sentences, over a quarter (26.5%) did not understand the meaning of what they were reading.
o Basic mathematics remains the big challenge. More than half of the surveyed students (56.7%) could not solve a simple 3-digit by 1-digit division problem.
o The ability to do division is seen as a proxy for the ability to do basic arithmetic operations.
• Arithmetic proficiency:
o 45% of youths in the surveyed group have basic arithmetic proficiency.
o The rest need to ‘catch up’ as low levels of foundational numeracy affect the ability of youth in tackling everyday calculations (say, for financial computations).
• Application of basic skills to everyday calculations:
o 85% of surveyed youths can measure length using a scale when the starting point is 0 cm but this drops sharply to 39% when the starting point is moved.
o This showed a decline as compared with 2017 when it was 86% and 40%. Males do better than females across all everyday calculations.
• Enrollment in different streams:
o The survey shows that more than half (55.7%) of the young people in this age group were enrolled in the Arts/Humanities stream, followed by STEM (31.7%) and Commerce (9.4%).
o More males report enrolling in the STEM stream (36.3%) than females (28.1%).
• Use of smartphones:
o Around 89% of those surveyed had a smartphone in the household and 92% said they knew how to use it - signalling a shift that has gathered force in the pandemic years and after.
o However, males were more than twice as likely to own their own smartphone than females, and therefore were likely spending far more time using the device for a wider variety of tasks.
• Use of social media:
o Interestingly, the survey found that 90.5% of the youths in this age group reported having used social media in the reference week, with a slightly higher proportion of males (93.4%) than females (87.8%).
o However, it observed that “of all youths who used social media, only about half are familiar with online safety settings that were included in the survey”.
Significance of the Report
The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) findings are important for several reasons, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of the state of education in rural areas of India. Here are some key reasons why ASER findings hold significance:
1. Assessment of Learning Outcomes: ASER focuses on assessing the basic reading and arithmetic skills of children in the age group of 3 to 16. The findings provide a clear picture of the learning outcomes at the grassroots level, indicating how well students are acquiring foundational skills.
2. Identifying Gaps and Disparities: ASER identifies gaps and disparities in learning outcomes between different regions, demographic groups, and over time. This information is crucial for policymakers and educators to understand where the education system is succeeding and where improvements are needed.
3. Informed Policy Decisions: Policymakers use ASER findings to make informed decisions about education policies and interventions. The report highlights areas that require attention, allowing for targeted and effective policy formulation to address specific challenges.
4. Monitoring Trends Over Time: ASER is conducted annually, enabling the monitoring of trends in education over the years. This longitudinal data helps track the impact of various policies and initiatives, allowing for an assessment of their effectiveness.
5. Community Engagement and Empowerment: ASER involves local communities in the assessment process. This not only ensures a more accurate and localized evaluation but also empowers communities to actively participate in the improvement of education in their regions. Community engagement is a key factor in sustainable educational development.
6. Advocacy for Education Quality: ASER serves as a tool for advocacy, drawing attention to the importance of quality education. The findings help create awareness about the challenges faced by rural communities and the need for collective efforts to improve educational outcomes.
7. Accountability in Education: By providing a transparent and comprehensive evaluation of the education system, ASER contributes to fostering accountability among various stakeholders, including government agencies, educators, and parents. It encourages accountability for the delivery of quality education.
8. Research and Analysis: ASER data is a valuable resource for researchers and academics studying education in India. The findings contribute to a broader understanding of the factors influencing educational outcomes and provide a basis for further research and analysis.
9. Global Comparisons: ASER's findings contribute to the global discourse on education by providing insights into the challenges and successes of the Indian education system. This allows for comparisons with international standards and practices.
In summary, ASER findings are important for their role in shaping education policies, addressing disparities, fostering community engagement, promoting accountability, and contributing to the broader field of educational research. The report serves as a critical tool for stakeholders involved in improving the quality of education in rural areas of India.
