State of Elementary Education in Rural India 2023

State of Elementary Education in Rural India 2023

News: Recently, the Ministry of Education has released the State of Elementary Education in Rural India - 2023 report, highlighting the Prevalence of Smartphone Usage among students.

Key Findings:
• 49.3% have access to smartphones. 76.7% of parents indicated that their children primarily use smartphones for playing video games, indicating a preference for entertainment over educational activities.
• 78% of parents aspire for their children to attain graduation-level education or above, however, there is a gap in parental engagement. Only 40% of parents have daily conversations with their children about their school learning, while 32% engage in such conversations a few days a week.
• Reasons for dropout (For Girls) 36.8% of parents mentioned that the need to contribute to family earnings led to their daughters dropping out.
• Meanwhile, 31.6% attributed the dropout to their child's lack of interest in studies, and 21.1% believed household responsibilities played a role.
• For boys, the primary reason for dropping out was a lack of interest in studies.
• Parent-Teacher Meetings and Learning Environment - 84% of parents reported regular attendance. Nonetheless, the two main reasons for non-attendance, are short notice and a lack of willingness.
• The findings emphasize the need for targeted efforts to enhance the educational environment at home and promote a balanced use of smartphones for both entertainment and learning purposes.