Focus on basic literacy and numeracy skills to improve educational outcomes

In those early years, we learned the three R's: reading, writing and arithmetic, and soon learning became second nature. A successful career is a cumulative milestone for anyone today, and it's all because we “learned to read” in the early school years so that we could “read to learn” in our later academic careers.

Reforms work in a similar way. They take time to bear fruit. But early signs of progress can emerge, fuelled by changes in systems and mindsets, and hold the hope of moving the reform process forward.

One such reform is the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which positions basic literacy and numeracy (FLN) as the cornerstone of the entire education system.

This policy paved the way for the NIPUN Bharat Mission, a nationwide initiative to ensure that all third-graders acquire FLN competencies by 2027. This mission has catalyzed action across all states and led them to adopt four core principles of systemic change.

The first principle is to align the system around a clear, common goal. This began with a baseline assessment based on the desired learning standards and the National Achievement Survey conducted by the central government in November 2021, immediately after the launch of the NIPUN Bharat Mission in July of the same year. It showed an overall decline in learning levels due to the pandemic and highlighted the urgency of achieving the FLN targets.

Early adopters like the Government of Madhya Pradesh evaluated student learning outcomes in 2022 and set NIPUN targets based on the results.

Strong leadership can further consolidate this process. Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan himself led a statewide FLN initiative called “Mission Ankur.”

Similarly, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath launched Mission Prerna and championed NIPUN Uttar Pradesh. Both politicians prioritized improving FLN results as a goal that energized the entire system, from ministers to mentors to district and block level teams.

The second principle is to improve teaching and learning practices in the classroom through structured pedagogy, supported lesson plans, effective teaching and learning materials, the use of technology, and continuous professional development of teachers.

Teachers' guides are now being used in many states. With varied and stimulating lesson plans, these guides change the classroom and make it much more exciting.

To increase the effectiveness of TLMs, strong teacher skills are required, so training cascades play an important role. By equipping master trainers with comprehensive resources, trainer packages and expertise to train teachers directly, transmission losses that occur in multi-layered cascades can be minimized.

In Telangana, this model resulted in a remarkable 67% improvement in teaching effectiveness within a year. Assam, with its 146 TLMs in eight languages, has developed a comprehensive FLN package that enables it to teach students with diverse learning needs.

Technology can also help improve skills. EdTech solutions can help achieve more in less time. They can streamline administrative tasks, free up valuable time, and enable teachers to achieve better learning outcomes for their students.

In Rajasthan, AI-powered assessment software reduced assessment time from two hours to just 20 seconds. A pilot study by EdTech software Chimple for Satya Bharti schools in Haryana showed that an app tailored to students' abilities led to a 50 percent improvement in test scores while allowing teachers to track assignments and performance.

The third principle is to improve student learning outcomes through low-risk assessments, which teachers and middle managers can use to understand their students' pedagogical strengths and weaknesses and, on that basis, improve teaching and training practices.

Uttar Pradesh is using the NIPUN Lakshya app to help 105,000 teachers evaluate students regularly so that they can improve their teaching practices. At the same time, the state can conduct large-scale assessments to check district performance and use these insights for interventions to achieve grade-appropriate student learning outcomes.

The final principle is to engage parents and communities to become an integral part of their child's learning process. Since children spend 80% of their time at home, strong parental involvement can result in about four additional months of learning each year.

Some parents who are first generation students may require more support in their child's education. This can be achieved through bilingual communication with parents, parent workshops, home visits, peer support, etc., apart from using existing platforms like Gram Sabhas and Parent-Teacher Meetings (PTMs).

Some districts of Bihar are using the Gram Sabhas to discuss FLN and provide guidance to parents on how to support their child. This has resulted in a 10-15% increase in parental attendance at PTMs and a 5-10% increase in student attendance in schools.

States that adhere to these principles are making admirable progress. Madhya Pradesh has doubled the proportion of second-graders who can read words and increased the proportion of children who can perform single-digit subtraction from 18% in 2022 to 65% this year. Uttar Pradesh has declared 24% of its schools NIPUN, with 67% of students reaching grade-level proficiency within five years.

The shadow of time and systemic constraints lie between idea and reality. We only have six years left to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG) of inclusive, equitable and quality education for all.

As the world looks to India as the next engine of global growth, it is imperative to energise the system, improve processes, assess progress and invite parents and communities to join the journey.

Anita Karwal and Ashish Dhawan are former Secretary, Ministry of School Education, Government of India and founder of Central Square Foundation.