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New Delhi: Children
in government schools in rural areas have poorer mathematical
skills compared to those in private schools, says the Annual
Status of Education Report by NGO Pratham.
As the right to education act completes two years, the report from
the NGO shows that overall, at least 7.5 percent children studying
in class III across India's rural areas cannot even recognize 1-9
digits while the proportion of Std III children being able to
solve a 2 digit subtraction problem with borrowing has dropped
from 36.3 percent in 2010 to 29.9 percent in 2011 says the report
released Sunday.
Sadly, while there are 20 percent such students in private
schools, the number just doubled for government schools with 40
percent students in class III not being able to recognize numbers.
The reports also says that among the class III students, 26.9
percent can recognize numbers up to 9 but not more, 35.7 percent
can recognize numbers to 99 but cannot do subtraction and 23.2
percent can do subtraction but not division.
Nearly 75 percent of government school students of class V cannot
do division, while this percentage is a little more than 60
percent for private schools.
"Basic arithmetic levels show a decline. Nationally, the
proportion of Std III children able to solve a 2 digit subtraction
problem with borrowing has dropped from 36.3 percent in 2010 to
29.9 percent in 2011," the report says.
This decline is visible in almost every state except Andhra
Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, which show improvements and
Gujarat which shows no change in arithmetic.
As far as reading skills are concerned, the all India figure for
the proportion of children in Std V being able to read a Std 2
level text has dropped from 53.7 percent in 2010 to 48.2 percent
in 2011.
Gujarat, Punjab and Tamil Nadu have however fared better than
2010. Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh numbers remain unchanged from
last year.
As per the report, overall, in class III, 8.5 percent children
cannot even read letters, 22.9 percent can read letters but not
more, and 28.4 percent can read words but not class I text or
higher.
Once again, these figures differ in government and private
schools. In private schools, it is around 38 percent and in
government schools, nearly 56 percent.
The report adds: "What is shocking is the bottom line for reading,
which is that 75 percent of children (3 out of every 4) who do not
acquire reading or arithmetic mastery at the "grade appropriate"
level, don't acquire it in the following year either."
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