The Indian education sector has witnessed a great deal of metamorphosis over the years, keeping with technological advancements and evolving requirements of teaching methods. However, the jury is still out on whether students in hinterland areas have been able to ride that transformational advantage.
One of the foremost challenges is infrastructure. Many rural areas lack the basic facilities needed for a conducive learning environment, including well-equipped schools, libraries, and digital connectivity. Students from rural schools either have no access or lack access to advanced learning tools such as digital learning, computer education, and non-academic books. The Covid-19 pandemic further exacerbated the inequality levels.
A report by Annual Status of Education (ASER) found that due to the pandemic, children aged 6-14 years ‘not currently enrolled in schools’ rose to 4.6 percent in 2021 from 2.5 percent in 2018.
“Improving access to quality education in rural areas requires innovations in the delivery model and financing models. Layering adaptive digital tools that deliver personalised lessons on top of the existing school infrastructure and human capital is key to improve learning outcomes.
“However, making sure such digital tools are available across the country including remote locations, requires developing financing models that combine CSR funding with commercial capital so that scale is achieved. In our portfolio, we have startups that have developed such adaptive tools that improve learning outcomes in low resourced environments,” said Avishek Gupta, MD and CEO, Caspian Debt.
Navin Jaju, CEO, Sesa Goa, said education is the cornerstone of progress and his organisation remains committed to lighting the path to a more promising tomorrow for talented students, aspiring professionals and the communities it serves.
“We firmly believe in the transformative power of education in shaping changemakers of tomorrow. Through numerous impactful initiatives such as Sesa Technical School having almost 100 percent success rate, computer centres, Utkarsh scholarships and Sesa Football Academy etc., we are arming young minds with not only the skills and knowledge but also with the opportunities that pave the way for them to shine at national and international platforms.
“Our endeavours in the field of technical training are further bolstered by our diversity initiatives. We have introduced technical courses for women candidates and also encourage girl students in Goa through the pathbreaking Vedanta Scholarships for pursuing ITI courses,” said Jaju.
Making education accessible in rural India also entails addressing the economic challenges faced by families.
Overcoming these challenges cannot be left to the governments only. It requires the active participation of civil society, philanthropists, corporations and citizens.
It is essential to design personalised educational approaches that honour local traditions and languages, thus effectively engaging students and instilling a passion for learning.
Community involvement is pivotal in tailoring curricula to address the unique needs and ambitions of rural learners. A pan-India survey conducted by the Development Intelligence Unit indicated that 78 percent of parents in rural areas aspire to educate their daughters to graduation and beyond, while 82 percent of parents in rural areas have similar aspirations for their sons.
“We have also funded startups that use digital means to improve the quality of delivery of lessons by the same teacher. Both these types of solutions accept the reality of low resources but strengthens them and improves their ability so that learning outcomes of children are improved,” said Gupta.
Although, the path to make education more accessible in rural India is strewn with challenges, but constant efforts made by government agencies and organisations will go a long way in strengthening the edifice of a robust educational system in hinterland India.
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