1. ANNUAL STATUS OF EDUCATION REPORT ASER 2014: HARYANA

2.  ASER is an annual household survey to assess children’s schooling status and basic learning levels in reading and arithmetic.  One government school in each sampled village is also visited.  It has been conducted in all rural districts of India every year since 2005.  The survey is facilitated by Pratham.  This year ASER has been conducted in Haryana by DIETs in each district.  Trainings and field practice is conducted in each district with surveyors and volunteers before the data collection phase. Fieldwork is monitored and there are rechecks. 2014 is the 10 th year of ASER. ASER 2014 Coverage HaryanaIndia No. of districts covered 20577 No. of villages covered57716497 No. of households surveyed 11988341070 No. of children surveyed (aged 3-16) 19414569229 ABOUT THE ASER SURVEY Some basic facts about ASER 2014  2 Volunteers survey a village  20 Households are surveyed per village  30 Villages are surveyed in each district  Each year ASER sample size is much larger than the usual rounds of NSS

3. HIGH ENROLLMENT AMONG 6-14 YEARS % Children enrolled, Age 6-14 years ASER HaryanaIndia 201198.696.7 201298.596.5 201398.796.7 201498.496.7 Near universal enrollment among children age 6-14 years. Increase in proportion of girls not enrolled in school (age group 15-16 years) over time What are the options for young adults, both boys and girls of this age group who are not in school? Solutions to either re-enter and continue higher schooling should be thought of alongside vocational and skill based training for jobs.

4. Year on year increase in private school enrollment (age group 6-14) in Haryana. If these trends continue then by 2020, govt school sector will shrink. Private enrollment is higher in primary grades but even at upper primary level, over 40% children are enrolled in private schools. SCHOOL ENROLLMENT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY PRIVATE

5. Selected Indicators % Schools with: HARYANAINDIA 20132014 Usable water provision73.576.275.6 Usable Toilet80.281.865.2 Usable girls toilet77.679.655.7 Mid-day meal95.491.785.1 Schools meeting PTR43.346.049.3 Overall, school facilities and infrastructure are improving each year in Haryana. For almost all indicators in 2014, Haryana indicators are better than the all India figures. SCHOOL FACILITIES ARE IMPROVING In ASER 2014, one government school with primary sections was visited in the sampled village on a random day in the Sept-Nov period. Teacher attendance in Haryana is over 85%.

6. In the past three years, reading levels have improved But even in 2014, approximately 1/3 rd of all children in Std V cannot read text which three grade levels below. Without acquiring the basic ability to read, how will these children “catch up”? READING LEVELS IMPROVING, BUT STILL NOT SATISFACTORY

7. Improving trends visible in reading skills in early grades also in the last few years. While there has been improvement in reading levels, about one in three children in these classes cannot read at required levels. Ideally by the end of Std II all children should be able to read easy sentences (Std I/II level) It is important to reach these children early so that additional learning support can be provided in order to ensure that children achieve grade level reading ability. READING IN EARLY PRIMARY GRADES

8. While children’s ability to do basic operations has improved, the levels are still a matter of concern. In 2014, half of all children enrolled in Std V cannot do division and subtraction. Without mastering basics, how will children cope with curriculum in higher grades? ARITHMETIC LEVELS ARE LOW & STUCK

9.  Children are expected to be able to do 2 digit subtraction problems by the end of Std II (according to state textbooks).  In Haryana, private schools are able to deliver this skill to almost 3/4 th of all children in Std III.  But the situation in government schools is a matter of great concern. After three years of school only 1/4 th of all children can do the same skill.  Once children “fall behind”, it becomes increasingly difficult for them to catch up.  The differences between government school children and private school children in learning levels has implications for equity. ARITHMETIC LEVELS IN EARLY YEARS

10. Of those who can read sentences, % children in Std V who can tell the meaning of sentences (ASER 2014) All children67.5 Government school50.6 Private school72.2 More Std V children in 2014 were able to read simple sentences in English than in 2009. However, about 1/3 rd of those who could read English sentences were unable to explain the meaning. Is it enough to speak English without comprehension? Government school children’s English levels are dropping over time. MORE CHILDREN CAN READ ENGLISH But not all can understand

11. In 2014, fewer Std V children in government schools could read a Std II level text or solve a simple division sum compared to 2010. Despite increasing private school enrollment in the state, government schools offer the only option for schooling to the poorest of the poor. Immediate attention and action required to ensure that levels in government schools do not continue to decline. Inability to do so shall pose serious questions on the government’s commitment to providing quality education to all. EQUITY: GAPS INCREASING BETWEEN GOVERNMENT & PRIVATE

12. Compared to the neighbhouring states of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, learning levels in Haryana are lower especially if we consider reading and arithmetic ability of children enrolled in government schools. What can government schools in Haryana do in order to increase student learning? % Children in Std V who can read a Std II text or more, (all children) ASER 2014 HP75.2 HR68.1 PNJ66.5 India48.1 HARYANA & OTHER STATES

13. With high enrollment and improving school facilities, the focus needs to shift to OUTCOMES. Low rate of PTR reveals a shortage of teachers. Adequate number of qualified and committed teachers will form the backbone of public education system. The high student- teacher attendance needs to be leveraged to improve learning levels across the state. SUMMARY

14. Basics in reading and math are very low, even after spending a number of years in school. Children who are still having difficulty with basic reading and arithmetic need immediate support and time. They could be grouped accordingly to their learning levels for instruction rather than by grade and age, at least for some part of the school day. This would ensure adequate attention to children at the lower end of the learning pyramid. Government school system needs to be overhauled to provide quality education as the government can ensure a wide education provisioning. SUMMARY

15. For more information, contact: ASER Centre/Pratham B 4/54 Safdarjang Enclave New Delhi 110029 Phone: 011 2671 6084 www.asercentre.org contact@asercentre.org