Achieving Universal Elementary Education in Odisha: Quantity Vs. Quality

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1 Achieving Universal Elementary Education in Odisha: Quantity Vs. Quality Abstract: Dr. Atal Bihari Das, Assistant Professor, Department of Economics Ravenshaw University, Cuttack, Odisha, India Dr. Dharmabrata Mohapatra, Associate Professor, Department of Economics Ravenshaw University, Cuttack, Odisha, India This paper examines the status of elementary education in Odisha with respect to quantitative and qualitative achievements by using secondary data collected from District Information System for Education (DISE). The study analyses the results using various indicators of education relating to enrolment, schools, teachers, infrastructure, outcome, educational development index, etc. The findings clearly show that Odisha failed to achieve universal elementary education in a time bound manner, as mandated by 86 th amendment to the Constitution of India. The state also placed miserably among the Indian states and union territories as far as educational development index is concerned. The paper concludes that there is need for reviewing the efficacy of existing programmes from the point of view of quantity and quality. The government should take special measures to open more schools in remote areas, appointment of more female and ST teachers, provision of special incentive scheme for girls and providing infrastructure facilities to all primary and upper primary schools with a monitoring mechanism thorough Panchayati Raj Institutions and local community for ensuring quality education for all. Key Words: Education, Elementary and Odisha JEL Code: I21 and I29 1. Introduction The role of education in economic development is well recognised by several research studies. Of the various levels of education, elementary education takes a lead as it has the highest impact on generation and distribution of income. The return to education is the highest for primary education followed by secondary and higher education. In India, the social rate of return to primary education is 29.3 per cent compared to 10.8 per cent in university education (Tilak, 1994). This suggests that there is a greater need for expansion of elementary education particularly in less developed regions and among backward population. However, the efficiency and equity effects depend upon the level of both quantitative and qualitative expansion of schooling. To this end, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) has been launched for achievement of Universalization of Elementary Education (UEE) in a time bound manner, as mandated by 86 th amendment to the Constitution of India making free and compulsory Education to the Children of 6-14 years age group, a Fundamental Right. In Odisha SSA has been implemented in all 30 districts since 2001 with the following objectives All children of 6-14 years age group in school by All children to complete 5 years of schooling by All children to complete 8 years of schooling by Universal retention by Bridge all gender and social category gaps at primary stage by 2007 and at Upper Primary stage by Focus on Elementary Education of satisfactory quality with focus on education for life. > RJSSM: Volume: 02, Number: 12, April-2013 Page 133

2 With these objectives in view, the paper makes an attempt to examine several dimensions of quantitative and qualitative achievement of elementary education in Odisha. The structure of the paper is outlined as follows. The subsequent section details a brief methodology for analysing the data. Section III presents the results and discussion. The last section concludes the paper. 2. Methodology The analysis of the present paper is based mainly on secondary data collected from Flash Statistics of District Information System for Education (DISE) on various indicators of elementary education like enrolment, schools, teachers, infrastructure, outcome, access, etc. The analysis of the study concentrates on elementary education, comprising of both primary (Class I-V) and upper primary (Class VI-VIII) level of education, of 6-14 years age group children in the state Odisha, India. 3. Results and Discussion 3.1 Enrolment based indicators Gross enrolment ratio and Net enrolment ratio Gross enrolment ratio (GER) is one of the crucial indicators of determining the progress of child schooling. It is observed form Table 1 that GER at primary level is per cent in the state as against the national average of per cent. At upper primary level the corresponding figures are per cent and per cent for the sate and at national level respectively. Table 1: Enrolment based Indicators, (Per cent) Enrolment based indicators Primary Upper Primary Odisha All States Odisha All States Gross enrolment ratio Net enrolment ratio Out-of-School Children Gender Parity Index Efficacy of GER as a measure of the enrolment of children is considered inexact as it includes both over aged and under aged children in a particular grade. Net enrolment ratio (NER), which takes into account only children in school going age group, is viewed as appropriate measure. It is observed that NER at primary and upper primary level are less than 100 in the state. In addition, compared to NER at primary level the NER at upper primary level is very low in the state (Table 1). Out-of-school children Less than 100 per cent enrolment of children in school implies that some children remained outside the school network. These out-of-school children include school dropouts as well as never enrolled children. It is found that the percentage of out-of-school children is higher in upper primary level than primary level (Table 1). The above facts indicate poor educational attainment of children at upper primary level in Odisha. This is mainly because of high dropout rate of girls and scheduled castes (SCs)/ scheduled tribes (STs) at upper primary level, distance from upper primary schools from the residence, higher level of repeaters among girls and SCs/STs, etc. Gender parity index in enrolment Gender parity index (GPI) in enrolment shows the ratio of girl s enrolment to boy s enrolment. There is no marked difference in GPI of primary and upper primary education in Odisha and India. GPI for Odisha at primary and upper level stood at 0.95 and for India it was 0.94 at both the levels of education. > RJSSM: Volume: 02, Number: 12, April-2013 Page 134

3 3.2 School related indicators Table 2: Indicators based on Access to Schools Density of schools per 10 sq km at primary level Density of schools per 10 sq km at upper primary level Ratio of primary to upper primary schools All weather schools (Per cent) Density of primary and upper primary schools and all weather schools It is documented by several research studies that distance and access to school have some bearing on the school attendance of children particularly among the girls. The density of schools per 10 sq km stood at 3.48 at primary level and 1.86 at upper primary level. The corresponding national averages are 3.45 at primary and 1.63 at upper primary level. Ratio of primary to upper primary school The Programme of Action (1992) for education envisaged an upper primary school/section for every two primary schools/sections. In this regard the state has fulfilled the objective. In , on an average, there was an upper primary school/section for about 1.87 primary schools at the state level compared to 2.12 at national level. It is important to note that all schools in Odisha are all weather schools compared to per cent at all India level. 3.3 Outcome indicators Transition rate One of the important indicators on which the expansion of upper primary education depends is transition from primary to upper primary level of education. Transition rate is an indicative of educational advancement. The transition rate in Odisha was per cent as against all India average of per cent in the year It is important to note that transition rate is lower for girls compared to boys in the state as well as at the national level. Table 3: Outcome based Indicators, (Per cent) Transition rate from primary to upper primary level Total Boys Girls Average repetition rate Retention rate ( ) Repetition rate Repetition of grades by students is a problem in Odisha. Many students repeat grades in primary schools due to prolonged absence from schools. In some cases, parents request for their children s continuance in the same class to improve achievement levels, although the state government has a policy of no detention in primary classes. It is evident from the Table 3 that repetition rate at elementary level in the state was 3.63 per cent as against all India average of 3.35 per cent in , which implied that about four per cent students stayed more than one year in a class. It speaks of poor educational attainment of children in Odisha. > RJSSM: Volume: 02, Number: 12, April-2013 Page 135

4 Retention rate One of the important indicators that are essential to achieve UEE is high retention rate in each grade/class of education. The retention rate in the state is very low and stood at per cent in the year It shows the state has yet to achieve universal retention which is one of the goals of UEE. 3.4 Teacher related indicators Table 4: Teachers based Indicators, Percentage of schools having female teachers Percentage of SC Teachers Percentage of ST teachers Percentage of untrained Teachers Average number of teachers per school Female teachers It is well documented by the researchers that presence of female teachers in a school generally encourages enrolment of girls. In view of this, a particular norm (Operation Black Board) has been fixed, which envisages that at least 50 per cent of teachers in a school should be female. In , percentage of schools having female teachers at elementary level in the state stood at per cent as against the all India average of per cent. This indicates that 32.67per cent schools do not have female teachers in the state. Teachers profile by training suggests about 83 per cent teachers are trained in the state as against national average of 79%. SC and ST teachers The caste distribution of the teachers reveals that the state employed 12.05per cent of SC teachers as against SC enrolment of per cent and per cent ST teachers as against ST enrolment of per cent at the elementary level in Average number of teachers per school The average number of teachers by school category reveals that at elementary level there are 3.80 teachers per school in the state as against national average of This indicates that each class/section in a school doesn t have a teacher at elementary level in the state. 3.5 Infrastructure related indicators Table 5: Infrastructure based Indicators, (Per cent) Students in single teacher schools Single teacher schools Schools having drinking water facility Schools having functional toilet Schools having functional girls toilet Schools having kitchen shed PTR at primary level (Number) PTR at upper primary level (Number) Schools with PTR >30 at primary level Schools with PTR >35 at upper primary Enrolment in primary schools with PTR > Enrolment in upper primary schools with PTR > Average number of class rooms (Number) > RJSSM: Volume: 02, Number: 12, April-2013 Page 136

5 Percentage of single teacher schools and Percentage of enrolment in single teacher schools As observed from the above Table 5, per cent of the total elementary schools are single teacher schools which have 5.94 per cent of the total enrolment in elementary schools in the state. Whereas, 8.86 per cent of the total elementary schools are single teacher schools at the national level and the corresponding enrolment in these schools stood at 3.96 per cent of total enrolment in elementary schools. Schools having drinking water facility Availability of drinking water in schools is an essential facility that every school should have. The distribution of schools by drinking water facility reveals that even this basic facility has not yet been made available in all schools. Only per cent schools have the drinking water facility available in the state as against the national average of per cent. Schools having functional toilet and separate toilet for girls All together, only per cent and per cent schools had common toilets and separate toilets for girls respectively in the state while the corresponding national figures for common toilets and separate toilets for girls are per cent and per cent respectively. This indicates that about 53 per cent schools do not have toilets and 46 per cent schools are without separate toilet for girls in the state. Percentage of schools having kitchen shed Kitchen sheds are precondition for providing hygienic mid day meals (MDM) in elementary schools. It is observed that schools having without kitchen shed in the state stood at per cent as against national average of per cent. Pupil teacher ratio One of the important factors that influence classroom transaction is the number of students per teacher. In , overall pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) in primary and upper primary schools of the state was 31 and 26 respectively. The corresponding figures at all India level were 32 and 29 respectively for primary and upper primary schools. However, the percentage of schools having PTR more than 30 at primary level and more than 35 at upper primary in the state stood at 46 per cent and per cent respectively. In addition, the percentage of enrolment in schools with PTR more than 30 at primary level and PTR more than 35 at upper primary level are per cent and per cent respectively in the state. Average number of class rooms Having adequate number of instructional rooms is an essential requirement that every school should have. Irrespective of the school type, a school imparting elementary education in had an average of 3.60 rooms as against 4.60 at all India level. 3.6 Miscellaneous indicators Table 6: Miscellaneous Educational Indicators, Average number of instructional days at primary level Average number of instructional days at upper primary Instructional days less than 200 at primary level Instructional days less than 220 at upper primary (Per cent) Percentage of schools providing mid-day meal (Per cent) Instructional days It has been observed that on an average a school imparting primary and upper primary education in functioned for about 211 and 212 days respectively in Odisha. The corresponding national average is 222 and 224 for primary and upper primary level respectively. However, it is observed that the percentage schools with instructional days less than 200 stood at > RJSSM: Volume: 02, Number: 12, April-2013 Page 137

6 per cent at primary level and instructional days less than 220 stood at per cent at upper primary level in the state. Mid-day meals Recent studies in India show that midday meals enhance student attendance in schools, particularly in rural areas. But all elementary schools in Odisha are not providing midday meals. The percentage distribution of schools providing midday meals is per cent in Odisha as against national average of 88.24per cent in the year Education development index In order to assess the real position of Odisha among Indian states with respect to educational development the educational development index is constructed. The educational development index for the states is constructed by taking into account four important components of educational development like access, infrastructure, teachers and outcomes. The variables used in each category were pre-determined by the MHRD, Government of India. It is observed from Table 7 that Odisha occupied 20 th, 24 th, 29 th, 14 th position (rank from top) in Access Index, Infrastructure Index, Teachers Index and Outcome Index respectively among the Indian states and UTs in primary level in the year The corresponding ranks for upper primary level are 23 rd, 26 th, 31 th and 28 th for Access Index, Infrastructure Index, Teachers Index and Outcome Index respectively. As far as Composite Index (Access, Infrastructure, Teachers and Outcomes) is concerned the state occupies 26 th and 28 th position respectively in case of primary and upper primary schools in the country. It is further observed that in , Odisha occupied 28 th position in composite educational development index for the elementary level among Indian states and UTs. Table 7: Education Development Index of Odisha, Indicators Primary Upper Primary Elementary Index Rank Index Rank EDI Rank Access Infrastructure Teachers Outcome Composite Index Concluding Observations and Policy Suggestions From the above analysis of various quantitative and qualitative indicators of elementary education in Odisha, it is found that the achievement of universal elementary education is not satisfactory. The enrolment ratio is increasing over the years, but less than 100 per cent NER means all children are not in schools. The percentages of out of school children are 0.57 per cent in the age group of 6-11 years and per cent in the age group of years. Though the number of teachers increased over the years, the average number of teachers at elementary school stood at 3.80 indicating thereby that each class/section does not have at least one teacher at elementary level in the state. The transition rate form primary to upper primary school stood at per cent and retention rate stood at per cent which indicates that all children are not completing 7 years schooling in the state. The quality of infrastructure facilities in elementary schools in the state is far from satisfactory. The percentage of single teacher schools in the state is about 13 per cent which have 5.94 per cent of the total enrolment in elementary schools in the state. Though, the overall pupil-teacher ratio in primary and upper primary schools of the state is satisfactory but, the percentage of schools having PTR more than 30 at primary level and more than 35 at upper primary in the state stood at 46 per cent and per cent respectively. In addition, the percentage of enrolment in schools with PTR more than 30 at primary level and PTR more than 35 at upper primary level are per cent and per cent respectively in the state. All schools do not have safe drinking water facility. Only per cent schools have the drinking water facility. About per cent schools had common toilets and > RJSSM: Volume: 02, Number: 12, April-2013 Page 138

7 per cent had separate toilets for girls in the state. In addition, a school imparting elementary education in the state had an average of 3.60 rooms. All elementary schools are not providing mid day meals in the state. As far as various indicators of educational development index (Access, Infrastructure, Teachers and Outcome) are concerned, it is observed that Odisha placed miserably among the Indian states and UTs at both primary and upper primary education. It is further observed that Odisha occupied 28 th (rank from top) position in composite educational development index for the elementary level among Indian states and UTs. Form the aforesaid discussion, it is concluded that Odisha is yet to achieve universal elementary education for all children in the age group of 6-14 years. Thus it is high time to review the effectiveness of existing programmes from the point of view of quantity and quality. Further, Government should take special measures to provide infrastructure facilities like opening of more schools in remote areas, appointment of more female and ST teachers, provision of special incentive scheme for girls, etc. to all primary and upper primary schools with a monitoring mechanism thorough Panchayati Raj Institutions and local community for ensuring quality education for all. In order to reduce dropout rate and enhance enrolment among children parental motivation is very significant. References Das, A. B, (2009) Status of tribal education in KBK districts of Odisha Odisha Review, Government of Odisha, October, pp Education Commission (1968), Education for Development, Report of the education commission, , NCERT, New Delhi. Government of India (1966), Education and National Development, Report of the Education Commission (Kothari Committee), , Ministry of Education, New Delhi. Lenka, J. and M. Malliek (2007), Growth of Primary Education in Odisha: Quantity Vs. Quality, Southern Economist, May, pp Tilak, J.B.G (1994-a), Costs of Training, International Encyclopedia of Education, Oxford: Pergamon Press, pp Tilak, J. B.G (2004), Free and Compulsory Education, Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 39, No > RJSSM: Volume: 02, Number: 12, April-2013 Page 139