The Manohar lal Khattar Government in Haryana, which remained mired in controversy in the past two years over the inclusion of Gita shlokas and yoga in school curriculum, seems to have failed to improve the poor academic performance and learning ability of the students.
Even as the State Government claims to have improved the education system in Haryana, the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2016, released recently, put forth falling standards of education in the State.
The survey reveals that a large percentage of students in schools (class I-VIII) have poor learning skills, reading ability and arithmetic skills. The report also indicates that people prefer the private schools over the Government schools in Haryana. The performance of private schools was also found to be much better than Government schools during the survey in Haryana (rural areas).
The ASER report has revealed that only 25.1 percent students in class III in Government schools can read class II level text while the percentage was much higher in private schools with 60.9 percent. Similarly, only 54.6 percent students enrolled in class V can read class II level text in government schools while the percentage stood at 79.2 in private schools.
As far as arithmetic proficiency is concerned, only 30.1 percent students could do division in class V in Government schools while the percentage is much higher in private schools, registering 63.9 percent. In class VIII in Government schools, only 53.5 students could do division while the percentage was 78.1 in private schools.
What’s worse, only 27.7 percent students in Government schools in class III could do atleast subtraction while there were 73.7 percent such students in private schools.
While the State Government had in the past announced to collaborate with private public schools and conduct fortnight tests to assess and enhance the minimum learning level of students, the report suggests that reading and arithmetic skills of students have witnessed decline in the past two years.
The ASER report revealed that the State registered 55.7 percent children (age 6-14) enrolment in private schools while the government schools registered 41.7 percent enrolment. The proportion of ‘out-of-school’ girls (15-16 years) stood at 10.7 percent.
Apart from this, a large number of schools were found to be not meeting the RTE norms in Haryana. 16.6 percent schools in Haryana have no facility for drinking water and 2.9 percent schools have no separate provision for girls’ toilet. 89.4 per cent schools do not have computer available for children while there was no library in 16.8 percent schools.
Notably, after witnessing the poor academic performance and low learning ability of their children, the parents in Haryana had in past two years put up requests with the teachers not to pass their wards in primary classes.
According to the State Education Department officials, thousands of such requests were received from the parents from across the state, mainly from rural areas and most of the parents said that their children don't have class-appropriate competence and are not fit to be promoted.