Gap in Learning

Context: Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2020 should prompt the governments to plan remedial measures for curbing gaps in the education system.

Impact of the pandemic on education: Key Findings of ASER-2020 

• A shift in enrolments from private to government institutions:  of about 5% points (class one to higher secondary levels). 
• Decline in enrolments: since lockdown, either due to drop out, or because it was not possible to get admitted. 
• High digital divide: 43.6% of government school students do not have a smartphone, and 67.3% received learning materials over WhatsApp.

• Marginal teaching and learning assistance/resources: While only half the children got help with studies at home, a third got materials from teachers, and nearly 60% used textbooks.

Way Forward

• Expand availability of textbooks: to all including those who dropped out or waiting for formal admission.
• Bridge digital divide: by provisioning smartphones to enable transmission of learning materials and personal tutorial sessions. 
• Broaden Learning: Employ creative and innovative learning solutions like observational learning techniques and educational videos 
• For, E.g. Tamil Nadu and Kerala hosted curriculum-based video lessons on the Internet and T.V.

Conclusion: It will take out-of-the-box thinking during the pandemic to come up with interventions that are a substitute for traditional learning methods.