The number of children enrolled in the elementary education system in India was 169.3 million in 2002-03, and increased to 194 million in 2008-09. According to District Information System for Education (DISE1) data the annual growth rates for enrolment at primary and upper primary levels during the period 2003-04 to 2005-06 were 4.4% and 12.5% respectively.
School enrolment for rural areas (6-14 age group) has increased from 93.4% in 2006 to 95.8% in 2007. The percentage enrolled in Government schools has gone up from 73.4% to 75.3%; those in private schools from 18.86% to 19.50% (DISE 2007-08); and consequently, the share of others (Madrasa and EGS/AIE) has marginally declined from 1.3% to 1.2%. School enrolment for rural areas (7-10 age group) increased from 95.3% in 2006 to 97.3% in 2008.2
7A.1.2.4 Reduction in Number of Out-of-School Children
Remarkable progress has been made in the reduction of out-of-school children through targeted interventions of EGS and AIE. While EGS is a transitory facility following the formal primary school curriculum in un-served habitation, AIE provides for more context-specific targeted interventions for out-of-school children. AIE has been effective in providing education to out-of-school children, particularly the older children of 11-14 years; children who never got enrolled or dropout children; children, who migrate seasonally with their families; street children and other deprived urban children; working children and other vulnerable children in difficult circumstances. There has been a significant reduction in the number of out-of-school children in the 6-14 age group by 4.4%. (See Table 7.2.). An independent study conducted in July 2009 estimated 8.1 million children out-of-school.
Table 7.2
Trend in the number of out-of-school children (in millions)
2001-02
Census 001
2004-05
Independent survey
2008-09
Independent survey
32
13.5
8.1
Source: Data reported for 2005, 2009 as per independent sample study.
The multi-grade centres in Kerala use the services of volunteers in the forest and coastal areas of the State, as children from these areas are not enrolled in schools. The volunteers, who belong to these habitations, work with the community and persuade parents to send their children to school. The teachers for the multi-grade centres are from the same community, identified and appointed by the community. This has helped in addressing problems associated with sensitivity towards the lives of these communities, including language and local contextualities. The school has incorporated pedagogic innovations by using a variety of self-learning material, with the teacher performing the role of a facilitator. The self-learning material was developed with technical support from the Rishi Valley School, Madanappalli, Andhra Pradesh. Volunteers track children’s attendance and teaching in these centres.
7A.1.2.5 Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) vs. Net Enrolment Ratio (NER)
The GER for primary level (number of children enrolled as a ratio of total number of children aged 6-11 years in the population) was 94.9% in 1999-2000, which increased to 111.24% in 2006-07 (provisional). While the GER for primary level during 2007-08 was 113.94%, the GER for overall elementary level (6-14 age group) was 81 % in 1999-2000, which rose to 97.1% in 2006-07 (provisional) and declined marginally to 96.9% in 2007-08 (See Table 7.3.) The NER (enrolment of children of the right age group as a proportion of the total children in the relevant age group) for 2007-08 has been calculated as 95.92% at primary level, (DISE 2007-08). The difference between GER and NER is due to significant percentage of under-age/ over-age children. This is primarily due to varied entry age, ranging from 5 to 6 years in different States.
Table 7.3
Gross Enrolment Ratio For Primary And Elementary Levels (In Percentage)
Year
GER (Primary)
GER (Elementary)
1999-2000
94.9
81.0
2000-01
95.7
81.6
2001-02
96.3
82.4
2002-03
95.3
82.5
2003-04
98.2
84.8
2004-05
107.8
93.5
2005-06
109.4
94.9
2006-07
111.24
97.1
2007-08
113.94
96.92
Source: Selected Education Statistics, Ministry of Human Resource Development, GoI.
With a view to enhance enrolment, retention and attendance and simultaneously improve nutritional levels among children, the National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NP-NSPE) was launched in 1995. Since then it has been expanded as Mid-Day Meal Scheme (MDMS) to include all children studying at the elementary level. The Scheme covers almost 117.4 million children and provides for hot cooked meal in schools.
There has been a steady decline in the proportion of children drop ping out of classes I-VIII. The drop-out rate has declined by 13.6% at primary level and 8.6% at elementary level (See Table 7.4). School access at upper primary level is one of the critical inputs for improving retention at upper primary level. As the transition rates will improve from primary to upper primary level, there will be a consequential improvement in retention at elementary level.
