Meaning of universalization of secondary education
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Answer:
Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) is an initiative of the Government of India, in partnership with State governments, which seeks to universalize enrolment in grades 9 and 10 across the country. It supports the expansion of existing schools, the building of new schools to reach underserved areas, investments in quality improvement, and contributions to recurrent and capital costs. The goal is to universalize entry into secondary school by the end of 2017 and achieve universal completion of grade 10 by 2020.
RMSA responds to the fact that no more than 60% of all Indian children complete secondary school and net enrolment rates are little more than 40%. Around half of those completing secondary school fail to acquire high level Board qualifications and demonstrate mastery of the national curriculum. In the Northern states, less than half of all children make the transition to secondary school. Those from Scheduled Tribes and Castes and other educationally marginalised groups are especially disadvantaged. Only 11% of children in the lowest quintile of household expenditure are likely to reach secondary school whilst almost all of those in the richest quintile complete grade 10.
1) Most states will find it difficult to achieve secondary level Gross Enrolment Ratios (GERs) greater than 100% by 2020 and will not succeed by the target date of 2017*. This has several causes. These include an insufficient number of students reaching grade 8; inadequate levels of achievement of grade 9 entrants; poor attendance of students and absenteeism by teachers; wide variations between schools in staffing, class size and availability of learning materials; and failure to ensure adequate financing to universalize access.
2) Demographic transition will lead to declining numbers of secondary school-aged children. In low enrolment states demand for secondary school places is likely to peak before 2020, after which the numbers of secondary age children will fall by 20% or more over a decade.
3) Additional demand for secondary education will come mostly from marginalized groups who were not previously able to complete elementary education. These groups disproportionately include children from rural areas and from urban and peri-urban informal settlements and slums, children from low income households, those from scheduled tribes and castes and other backward castes, and, in some states, girls.
4) Increased participation will come from areas located at a distance from existing secondary schools. This may increase average distances to travel to secondary and result in additional costs to poor households. Safety and security issues are problematic in some states especially for adolescent girls.
5) Current national/state secondary education expansion policies have resulted in a surfeit of small schools with low PTR and therefore high recurrent costs. In some states, more than 50% of secondary schools have enrolments below 50 in grades 9 and 10. In other states, ‘mega schools’ have developed with PTRs over 150 and enrolments in grade 9 and 10 of over 600 (e.g. Bihar).
6) Less than half of all grade 10-aged children take Board examinations during this grade. A lower percentage successfully graduates with grades rewarded by places in higher education and jobs. As enrolments expand, a greater number of less capable and disadvantaged children are taking summative examinations beyond their level. As a result, failure rates are likely to rise.
7) The distribution of teachers is very uneven with PTRs within the same district varying from below 10 to above 100. The problem is further exacerbated by staff recruitment. In some states, less than 14% of schools have teachers qualified in all four main subject areas and less than 10% of schools have all the basic facilities.
8) Secondary education places an additional financial burden on poor households. Much of the new demand will come from children from lower quintiles of household income and from otherwise marginalised groups likely to be poor.