LESS TALK, MORE ACTION
Why has this issue cropped up?
When it comes to improving learning outcomes in India, we have no time to waste. While there has been an increase in education spending over the last five years, learning outcomes have been poor and have been declining.
What we need to do?
- First, we need clear examples of what good quality education looks like. There aren’t enough real cases that demonstrate what good quality education means for every child in the classroom and raise the bar for what our education system should deliver.
- Second, we need to focus on classroom practice, because that’s where change needs to happen. Teachers need to be equipped with the right training on effective techniques and they should be introduced to concepts such as differentiation, where each child learns according to his or her level. Teacher training must be practical and teachers must be provided feedback on the job.
- Third, we need to involve parents. They are willing to do what it takes to ensure their child doesn’t struggle the way they did.
- Fourth, we need to scale programmes that demonstrate impact and not just run to the next innovation or pilot. Supporting the expansion of a proven model to 1,000 schools is more likely to lead to classroom impact than supporting 10 new programmes that all strive to “redefine education.” Programmes must be rigorously evaluated for impact before they are scaled.
- Fifth, we need to partner more. Whether it’s public-private partnerships or NGO partnerships or State government knowledge sharing, more needs to happen.
Conclusion
It takes a village to raise a child and it will take a nation working together to ensure that all children get the education they deserve.
