Quality of education in india pdf

CBSE through its scheme of Accreditation aims at fostering a sense of quality assurance in its affiliated schools. The schools affiliated with the Board will be Assessed through standardized instruments and processes of internal self-evaluation and external assessment peer review , which will encourage sustained qualitative enhancement. Education to provide global parameters of attainment as standards in schools affiliated to it. The CBSE aspires to lay down a set of standards and best practices as paradigms for attaining the benchmark in an individual institution for the upliftment of learning outcomes in the domain of school education imparted to children.

The Seven Domains identified by CBSE are in fact focused on the seven areas and processes of developing the capabilities of school holistically. The Peer Assessors are the principals who are either working or retired from schools with a vast experience and rich insight into the processes that make a quality institution. It is also expected that the agencies and the assessors will apprise themselves of the latest reforms being conducted by CBSE as well as the Manuals and support material developed by the Board for successful implementation of reform.

The process of accreditation involves the two essential stages: 1. Validation by external Peer assessor Team by visiting the assesses school. The accreditation is valid for a period of three years. The approach of the team would be non-threatening and confidence building.

All Peer Assessors essentially have fully developed 'tangible' and 'intangible' skills which form the core of their good judgments leading to reliable and credible Assessment results. Assessors are preferably chosen from those who have gained experience while undergoing the process of CBSE SQA of their own institution.

It is primarily a three member team which is national in character. Generally, the team has mixed representation from the state to which the institution belongs and other states. They are chosen from the school system and the Chairperson is normally nominee of the CBSE empaneled by the board. In case of a big school with strength above , one more member may be added for every students.

The Chairperson is the overall in charge of the team. It does not undermine the position of other members of the team. The relationship of all the team members is more of 'academic equality' leading o consensus approach rather than the 'hierarchy' that works through majority vote. Confidentiality is the hallmark of the PA Team.

In order to streamline the process of selection of Peer Assessors, to make it more transparent and to appoint a cadre of effective and competent Peer Assessors who are well conversant with the rationale of CBSE SQAA and thus are able to ensure proper and effective carrying out of SQAA process, the Board proposes to conduct an online screening test which consists of two sections. CBSE appoints the Agencies then employs transparent selection procedures to empanel Accreditation agencies.

Peer Assessors Team [PAT] visits the school if the school gets the minimum qualifying score on a mutually convenient date to analyze the data submitted by the school. PAT Prepares Reports 1. The reviews were conducted mainly on the internal and external quality assurance system in India and abroad. Padhya studied on the duties and responsibilities of the DEO in Bombay state. It was historical as well as a normative survey.

The objectives of the study were, to study the brief history of inspection system from introduction to the present time, duties and responsibilities of the inspectors as stated in the government rules, to study the work of inspection and to study the responsibilities of the inspectors from the view of teachers and principals.

Data was analysed qualitatively. The findings of the study were, generally education inspectors have no new ideas and planning when they go to inspect the schools, registers and records and accounts are checked by the clerk, Educational inspectors held staff meetings and discuss the question of common interest, the Educational Inspectors have no contact with the students, the Educational Inspectors should study local conditions of the areas where the schools are situated.

Trivedi conducted a study on the critical enquiry into the Secondary school inspection system in India. The objectives of the study were, to examine critically the evaluation of the inspection system of the Secondary schools in India, to discover strength of all the system which could either be retained in the present form or reshaped in keeping with the growing needs of the fast developing Secondary schools in India, to diagnose the short comings of the present inspection system critically, the present methods and procedures of inspection and to suggest reforms there on, to make suggestions for the needed reorganization of administrative machinery of school inspection, to indicate ways and means to remove or lessen the present inadequacy of the inspecting staff.

The inspection process of 15 states was studied by the researcher. He found out that inspection being an important process has to be analyzed critically. Pedagogy should be given more importance and inspectors should be more qualified and with high competence. The objectives of the study were, to study the present position and of inspection and inspection in the country and to suggest measures for improvement.

If the qualitative improvement has got to be in terms of better instruction of which one of the most important part is inspection and inspection so the state government should pay ever increasing attention to the important aspect of education. The group suggested that inspection and inspection should structurally strengthen through more liberal allocations; there is also a need for experimentation to improve the quality of inspection and inspection. They also suggested that there should be development in evaluative criteria and evaluation instruments for inspection and inspection.

They feel that the follow up of inspection should be strengthened. Special recruitment and training program should be held for the inspectors.

Gadgil conducted a study on evaluation of concept and practices of inspection and inspection of Secondary schools of Maharashtra. During the period , encouragement to private enterprise resulted in more inspection.

The major findings of the study were that the pre-service training and evaluation of teachers, inspection and guidance were strengthened from since when system of grants based on results had obtained Independence brought about a change of attitude, security and stability.

It stepped up expansion but lowered the standard of inspection and inspection. Selection and appointment of District Educational Inspectors was not satisfactory. They lacked experience insight and vision and did not gain command and respect.

The existing form for inspection report was introduced in and no modification has been made so far, to incorporate changes in curricular, syllabus etc. It was the combination of historical, descriptive and experimental research. Questionnaire, interviews were the techniques used. The major findings of the study were that Specific instructions regarding the inspection of functional aspects of the school programs were not given in the code manuals.

Inspection depended largely upon the subjective views and observations of the inspecting officers because the Performa was not comprehensive and objective. Inspecting officers were considerate that the procedures adopted for the inspection of audio-visual aids and school community relationship was inadequate.

Kulkarni conducted a study on the Inspection and Inspection of Primary Schools in Maharashtra with special reference to Marathwada region, at Pune University. He found out that there were no systematic procedures for inspecting officers. The inspection officers were overloaded with administrative work.

Very few 8. Inspecting officers, generally observed the teaching methods of teachers, teaching aid prepared by teachers, schools administration, school discipline and educational projects undertaken by the schools, if any.

About 42 percent of the inspecting officers called parents' meeting and discussed the problems of academic progress of pupils, attendance of pupils, and their health, discipline and habits etc.

About 78 percent of teachers reported that, inspecting officers did not provide individual guidance. National University of Educational Planning and Administration conducted a project in four states of India. Objectives of the study were to find out the strengths and weaknesses of the system, practices and performa of inspection followed by the states covered by the sample study to suggest ways and means by which weaknesses could be removed and modern concepts introduced so that the quality of education is raised.

The major findings of the study were that inspection has a very strong base in its traditions; it has its own well defined purposes and methods. The structured form of the inspection report enables the inspecting officers to look into all the relevant aspects of the functioning of the schools. Inspection system is control-oriented rather than service oriented and the inspectorates were mostly out of touch with their own subjects and were unable to provide any leadership to the teachers in improving the teaching-learning even in those subjects which they had studied.

Being very much preoccupied with duties other than academics most of the time; the inspectors find it difficult to keep themselves abreast with the latest developments in the academic field. According to the survey, inspection is still an administrative ritual, inspectors should pay more emphasis on classroom observations, follow up after inspection is also an important aspect which is many times neglected by the inspectorates.

The objectives of the study were to identify different kinds of problems faced by the educational officers in the field of administration. To analyse the problems with the help of data received from educational administrators and supervisors at different levels of primary education. To locate possible sources and institutions in the field of school education which can contribute to the administrative and supervisory services for a better teaching-learning process in primary education of the state and to suggest remedies taking into account the present service condition of the supervisors and their views.

He found out that Inspection was to be separated from administration, particularly at the grass root level, so that such inspectors will be free to look at the academic growth of the teachers. Sub-inspectors of the schools were to be brought back from Panchyati Raj, to the control of the District Inspectors of School and be free from any Para-and non- academic work.

Sangtam May, conducted a study on inspection and inspection of elementary schools in Tuensang district of Nagaland. Objectives of the study were to find out the strengths and weaknesses of the present inspection system in Nagaland, to study the practices and performance of inspection in various districts of the state and to suggest ways by which weaknesses can be removed.

Also needs of improving inspection and inspection of elementary school to raise quality and standards. Major findings of the study were that the inspecting officers themselves are to function both as academician and administrator. Therefore, they are faced with both academic as well as administrative problems; the power given to the inspectors was very much limited.

The district had large number of untrained teachers. Though the government tried to encourage them by giving those incentives but very few teachers were interested to attend training arranged by the department. There is no statistical cell in the district inspectorate and in absence of such a cell at district level data for educational purposes like enrolment, number of institution cannot be available for formulation of educational plans.

The inspector of schools being in charge of administration and inspection are to engage themselves in various non-academic activities than that of their academic works. The educational inspectors face the communication problems due to ill developed transport system on account of hilly tarrain of the district.

Though the government of Nagaland has provisions for panel inspections, except science supervisor, no other subject experts are posted in the district.

So there is no panel inspection in the district. The project was conducted in GSS schools which are called as the organization for extending support. The focus of the project was on external inspection and inspection, advisers and counselors.

The objectives of the study were to study the major trends of inspection in Bangladesh, to study the extent to which the inspection and support services had a positive impact on the quality of teaching learning processes in schools and to study the major innovations mainly with respect to inspection in Bangladesh. The major findings of the study were that the teachers of GSS schools were highly motivated as they asked the help from supervisors with regard to teaching aids and educational materials.

The supervisors visit each school days per week. The teachers pointed out that the roles and functions of school supervisors were well designed and useful, as they communicated with the head office, regional training centers and at the same time they worked in the schools and helped the teachers.

Consequently, the teachers did not perceive supervisors as an outside authority coming to inspect and find faults, but as someone who is directly concerned with guiding the teachers and improving their performance.

This approach had helped to raise the confidence of the teachers and has also created a feeling of security that there was someone to rely upon. To critically comment on the role of supervisory personnel involved at various levels, to find out the role of the community members with respect to effective school Management to comment on the process of decision making and management skills of community members, teachers and supervisors, to comment critically on the quality level education provided in the Alternative Schools, to identify the problems faced by project functionaries, teachers and communities in program implementation, if any and to give suggestions for further improvement.

Two tribal Shahdol and Dhar and two non-tribal Satna and Ratlam districts were selected for the study. The increased provision of primary schooling in un-served habitations, appointment of local teachers, community participation in school management, and reforms geared towards improved academic environment of children in classroom have succeeded in increasing participation rates, narrowing gender and tribal gaps and arousing the interest and enthusiasm of children to learn and participate in classroom activities.

Those denied the opportunity of primary schooling due to long distance, poor social and economic status combined with illiteracy of their parents are now provided with some of the best opportunities that a system can provide for quality of education. Schools even in the remotest areas were functioning, children were enrolled and attending schools, teachers were regular, well trained and motivated, structures and institutions were providing academic and resource support, teaching and learning activities were changing, children were enthusiastic and keen to learn.

There was a evidence of effective change in classroom processes and practices. There was a definite change in the authority and power structure that facilitate decentralized management.

The local people had created the necessary conditions and structures for encouraging local level planning and management procedures for community participation were institutionalized. Effective inspection and support systems were clearly visible in the field.

Attainment level of the children had been found encouraging pedagogical renewal processes. The objectives of the study were to study the management structure and functions of Education Board of VMC. To study the existing practices of educational inspection in VMC, to find out opinions of the principals on VMC inspection and to suggest ways and means in which effective inspection can be done in the primary schools of VMC.

Vadodara school administration is distributed in three zones. Content analysis of the documents and questionnaires for the principals and supervisors were used as tools for data collection. Data was analyzed qualitatively. Principals of VMC schools opine that certain skills and managerial competencies were required for VMC supervisors to make their visit effective.

Kalpande conducted the research on Administration in Maharashtra State with special reference to the role of the extension officers in the administration of elementary education. He investigated the problems faced by the extension officers in the administration of elementary education at the Block level in Maharashtra.

For the purpose of the study six districts were selected from the seven educational administrative divisions of Maharashtra. In order to collect information senior officers were interviewed in different departments of education. Interviews of the primary teachers were also taken to collect the data. The data was collected by conducting interviews, questionnaire and examination of the official records.

Major findings of the study were that the education extension officers worked in a professionally impoverished climate. As their roles were not adequately defined and explored, their roles and kind of work often resulted in conflict. Sheeran conducted a case study on School inspection and school improvement. The study was conducted using a qualitative approach methodology, based on semi-structured interviews which focused on issues which were identified by staff and which arose as the study evolved.

There was also document analysis of governmental and school publications which provided contextual information and aided understanding of the topics under discussion and their development.

The results of the study include recommendations and conclusions relating to both Knocknagoney Primary School and the inspection system in general. In particular, within the confines of current inspectorial practice, the research will draw upon the experiences gained during the Focused Inspection of Knocknagoney Primary school to consider the potential benefits of employing an alternative mode of inspection, namely the Quality Assurance Inspection.

In simplistic terms, this method of inspection enables schools to work with the Inspectorate to agree upon those areas of school life to be inspected and also on the timing of the inspection. Khedkar The present study is conducted in the Secondary schools of Vadodara city, Gujarat to study the effectiveness of inspection and also to study whether it helps in improving the quality of education in Secondary schools.

Objectives of the study were, to analyze various aspects and areas covered in inspection, to check authenticity of different teaching methods. To check the effectiveness of inspection procedures, to study the opinion of the functionaries concerned with present study, to study the present problems or constraints faced by inspection authorities. Survey was conducted by the researcher. Questionnaires were given to the inspectors, Principals and the teachers of the schools.

Majority of the inspectors were of the opinion that the work load given to them for school inspection was very high and therefore they were not able to give proper justice to their work. Some inspectors opine that the area which they had to cover was very large for their work.

Most of the principals were of the opinion that the inspection should be more than once in a year so that, it can serve the purpose. Most of the principals opine that instead of administrative aspect, academic aspects should be given more importance. Most of the teachers were nervous that the inspectors were not providing proper feedback to them and had a very less scope for direct interaction. Lastly some teachers clearly expressed that the authoritarian behavior of the educational inspectors should not be there.

Thapa studied inspection practices in the Secondary Schools of Vadodara city. The sample of the study was 22 English and Gujarati grant-in-aid Secondary schools. The tools and techniques were questionnaire, semi-structured interviews. The findings of the study were that the inspection today is not the fault-finders.

Mangena had studied on the pedagogical significance of inspection and inspection in black Secondary schools with special reference to KaNgwane. The purpose of this research was to determine the pedagogical significance of inspection and inspection as professional services offered to Black Secondary schools with special reference to KaNgwane. This research revealed that there was inadequate consideration of objectives and procedures in the administration of inspection and inspection in KaNgwane.

This implies that there was a great need for improvement of the current supervisory and inspection procedures. Application of the scientific management procedures, such as 'Inspection and Inspection by Objectives SIBO , had better chances of improving the quality of education than a haphazard approach devoid of clear objectives.

The project, which began in , is one the main research components of the institute's medium term plan This study was to provide a critical examination of the nature of inspection and to identify a rigorous inspection approach which can have beneficial impacts on the school. The recruitment and selection procedure for an inspector therefore becomes a crucial issue. Major findings of the study were, in most of the countries inspectors were recruited on the basis of seniority that had very low formal academic qualifications.

So these inspectorates must be well qualified, so they must be given suitable in-service training with special emphasis on educational evaluation and assessment. Some 'Code of Conduct' is essential for inspectorate. The skills of inspection once acquired should be periodically assessed, resulting where necessary in further training. Good inspector should have appropriate qualifications. Recruitment process for inspectors become crucial and needs careful consideration and these inspectorates should be given suitable in-service training with special emphasis on educational evaluation and assessment.

The objectives of the study was to understand the meaning of quality assurance with the help of equity, excellence, inclusion, in the context of value for money, and quality teaching and learning by qualified and caring staff. The researcher has introduced how school system works in Sweden at different levels, and then use English schools to contrast and compare.

A juxtaposition of literature from the two countries, and from the USA, throws an additional light on similarities and differences in their approach to quality assurance. The researcher has interviewed seven persons in Sweden and in England: three head teachers, three deputy head teachers and one senior manager. The major findings were Quality review covers the goals we have, how we intend to reach them and how we did or did not reach those goals.

An annual report is written and sent to the local politicians. The researcher reflected that related to Swedish school teachers they only responded that Quality Assurance practices were good and helpful in daily practices but the Head teachers of the English school answered differently as OFSTED has published documents on every aspect of school effectiveness. But the National Agency for Education, and the Swedish National Agency for School Improvement formed in ; gave Swedish head teachers little support in their work to raise standards.

Two of the English but none of the Swedish interviewees described in detail how they use QA systems. The Swedish National Audit Office, SNAO, has just published its inspection report on how the State and the authorities have fulfilled their obligations, since the goal-related grading system was introduced in SNAO states, that grades were not equivalent all over the country, and that this fact has negative consequences. Teachers and head teachers did not get enough support and training, and the authorities did not follow-up and control adequately.

It is difficult for the State to use the grades as instruments to follow-up and govern the decentralized school. Wanzare had done a case study on Kenya School inspection, Rethinking School Inspection in the third world. The study mainly examined some of the problems that frustrate inspection of school in Kenya and provided alternative strategies for improving the practice of school inspection.

The major findings of the study were that there were numerous deficiencies in the practice of school inspection in Kenya. So the nature of inspection in Kenya must undergo substantial change consistently with those in other areas of educational policy development and implementation.

The research found out that unlike in the past, majority of Secondary school teachers had an improved attitude towards assessment, inspection and QASOs. It was also established that teachers had moved away from fear of inspection and assessment to embracing these activities as complementary means of ensuring quality and efficiency in instructional process.

The study recommended that other than involving teachers and QASOs, the government should devise a way of involving parents and students in school assessment process as well. Watsulu and Simatwa conducted a study on Quality education in Secondary schools in Kenya.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the opportunities and challenges for the Directorate of Quality Assurance and Standards in its endeavour to ensure quality education in Secondary school education in Kakamega central district.

This study was based on a conceptual framework showing opportunities and challenges for the Directorate of Quality Assurance and Standards in the enhancement of quality education in Secondary education. This study used descriptive survey design. The Directorate of Quality Assurance and Standards had many opportunities such as financial records and observation of teachers in class to enhance quality education.

The challenges faced in enhancing quality education included lack of co-operation from some teachers and incidents of unavailability of finance records. The study concluded that schools were not assessed as many times as required although the Directorate of Quality Assurance and Standards had many opportunities.

Many challenges were faced in the process of assessing schools and the coping strategies included adherence to professional ethics. The study recommended that schools should be assessed at least once in every three years. Teachers and head teachers should be in serviced to change their attitudes towards the Directorate of Quality Assurance and Standards and see them as custodians of quality education with whom they have to team up to improve results in the district.

The government should ensure that all the schools in the district are accessible and provide the Directorate of Quality Assurance and Standards with sufficient means of transport to enable them access the schools.

Quality assurance and standards officers should be more effective in carrying out their duties in schools by giving feedback on time and using a collegial approach in their sharing with the teachers.

Okumbe and Joshua studied the effectiveness of inspection and inspection in selected Secondary schools in Kiambu district of Kenya. The research findings showed that A majority of the teachers All the responding teachers indicated that the inspectorate did not seem to play its supervisory roles effectively.

The research findings showed that 2 schools out of the 8 schools in this study had not been inspected at all since they were founded. It was also found that some of the schools were last inspected as many as 17 years ago. The research findings further showed that the inspectors neither held demonstration classes nor informed the teachers about these visits. It was also evident that the inspectors performed other activities, which were neither instructional nor curricular in nature during their visits to schools, the head teachers tended to perform administrative supervisory activities more frequently than, say, the curricular supervisory duties.

It was also recommended that inspectoral and supervisory duties be conceptually separated to afford the inspectors and supervisors enough time and insight into effective performance of these duties.

The two duties, however, need not be performed by different individuals. It was recommended as well, that the relevant educational bodies, among which are the Kenya Education Staff Institute K.

From each of the sample schools were also selected 30 teachers, again on stratification based on gender, qualification and experience. A questionnaire was designed for the study to collect pertinent data copies of which were administered but or The questionnaire was subjected to a test of face validity and test-retest reliability.

The reliability coefficient was found to be 0. The collected data were then subjected to chi -square analysis and in accordance with the hypotheses generated to guide the study. Based on the findings, recommendations were made to the effect that quality assurance should be intensified and possibly private participation in the practice should be encouraged.

The authors investigated the supervisory practices, interpersonal relationship between supervising officers and teachers, availability and functionality of inspectors, monitors, secretaries and supervisors from ministry of education, teaching service commission. The major findings of the study were that most rural areas were less visited, this might be as a result of transportation difficulties encountered.

Studies related to Internal Quality Assurance Mechanism The researcher studied the internal Quality Assurance mechanism in the primary and Secondary school of India and abroad. The reviews are presented below: Kutsyuruba conducted a study on instructional inspection: Perceptions of Canadian and Ukrainian Beginning high-school teachers.

The study was based on the belief that the supervisory process should be a collaborative effort reflecting the professional concerns of the individual teacher. The qualitative data was obtained through the use of semi-structured interviews that incorporated open-ended questions. The findings revealed that in both countries in the beginning teachers desired more frequent use of inspection that meets their individual professional needs.

A choice in supervisory approaches, better planning, and active involvement in decision making process regarding the supervisory practices were viewed as being beneficial for them. Beginning teachers advocated a need for inspection that promotes trust and collaboration, and that provides them with support, advice, and help. Respondents advocated inspection that is closely connected to professional development.

They expressed the desire to grow professionally and improve their instruction in order to provide quality education for students. The findings identified a number of factors that have substantial influence on the commitment and success of school-based educational personnel in continuous, self- directed professional growth and quality performance.

These factors can be categorized under three major headings: perceptions of inspection i. Akhtar conducted a study on the quality assurance in Secondary educations program of Bangladesh Open University. The objectives of study were to assess the quality programs to identify the challenges of quality assurance in Secondary schools and to explore the area of improvement to meet the challenges of quality. The major findings of the study were as the open school of Bangladesh open university was presently imparting two educational programs namely SSC and HSC.

These programs were basically providing an excellent opportunity of continuation providing an excellent to those who were either dropped out from basic education program both in formal and informal sectors. Thus, the opportunity should be given to the students complete their education with competence. However, technology should be used at distance mode in such a way as to promote them as potential workforce in the society.

Opportunities should be encouraged to determine quality assurance in distance education and evaluate faculty teaching at distant level. Pedagogical process should be transformed so that all students may receive quality education. Finally, administration of distance education has a wider scope flexibility to innovate an exceptional something.

Their potentiality, promptness in decision making and pragmatic actions could ensure the quality programs. The study further examined the roles of the principal who serves as the fulcrum of education reform process, keeping a delicate balance between the often-conflicting pressures coming from teachers, community, the education administrators and the government.

Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations were made: the modern-day school principals should be knowledgeable, professionally and administratively competent, as well as resourceful so as to complement the efforts of the government towards achieving the goals of the schools. Government should make provision for sponsoring principals and organising conferences for them to serve as a means for professional growth as well as incentives to the principals.

Again, government should refrain from frequent changes in educational policies as policies which are ambiguous with marked difference from the existing ones may leave school principals confused. The objectives of the study were to study the level of perception of Secondary school teachers in Mysore city regarding TQM in education.

Significant difference was found between male and female teachers in the perception of total quality management. Female teachers had higher mean score than male teachers.

There is no significant difference between Arts and Sciences Secondary school teachers in the perception of TQM in education. This study was conducted to examine different factors influencing the academic performance of Secondary school students in a metropolitan city of Pakistan.

Tyagi studied academic inspection in Secondary Schools, School-based approach for quality management. The study was based on a comparative study of selected government, private and private-aided senior Secondary schools in Delhi, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand.

The study considered how academic inspection and support by educational authorities helped improve in teaching- learning process and the professional development of teachers. The main objective of the study was how heads of government and private-aided institutions feel it necessary to place emphasis on providing instructional inspection.

During this period of school closure, efforts have been made by governments to ensure continuity of learning for children while they have been home.

Digital tools including internet based high tech tools like apps and online learning classes, social media platforms, television and radio were used extensively. India is now looking at delivering education programmes differently and speedily to employ solutions, that accelerate impact and achieve scale across interventions targeted at children and adolescents.

While technology is not a silver bullet to solve the problem of inequities in access and learning, it has huge potential for changing how teaching and learning is delivered in India, if employed in a systemic and inclusive way, empowering teachers, frontline workers, children and adolescents and increasing access to and quality of learning.

Currently around one-third of the 2. Universal access to technology in homes is yet a dream in tribal belts, interior locations, rural areas, and amongst children with disabilities. Children with poor or no access to technology face most challenges in continuing to learn. There is disproportional access to the internet across state, further extending into the rural-urban schism, where 13 per cent people of over five years of age in rural areas can use the internet against 37 per cent in urban areas.

Additionally, the digital dichotomy extends to the access to hardware and devices where the poorest students and marginalised communities, including girls, do not have access to smartphones, and even if they do, internet connectivity remains poor. The main area of UNICEF engagement and support is elementary education especially early grades and the transition to secondary education.

As schools remain closed and children learn remotely, UNICEF will engage with state government for expanding access to remote learning options. UNICEF will support the expanded use of technology and the use of online systems to improve governance in education, enhance capacity of teachers, teacher support systems, other education functionaries and participation of children for enhanced learning and skills development. But at the same time recognizing that quality learning requires quality teachers and teaching.

Without immediate and urgent help, these children cannot effectively progress in the education system, and so improving the quality of learning in schools is the next big challenge for both the state and central governments. Improving learning will require attention to many things, including increasing teacher accountability. According to school visits teacher attendance is just 85 percent in primary and middle schools and raising the amount of time teachers spend on-task and increasing their responsibility for student learning also needs improvement.

Part of this process requires better assessments at each grade level and more efficient monitoring and support systems. Overall, the public school system also needs a better general management system. India also faces many challenges that could be tackled through the education system. For one gender issues have come to the fore because of the spate of recent cases of violence against girls.

Changing gender mindsets seems to be imperative and gender studies education is one way of doing so. Also India, along with most countries, is concerned with the future of the labor market and employability; Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi wants to emphasize skill development in order to make school education more practically relevant.

The US and India can achieve better learning outcomes if they pool their experience and resources — both intellectual and economic. Leveraging technology : Both the U. Technology has a lot of potential to improve education but how it can be implemented most effectively and in the case of India, most cost-effectively, still remains a question. So far philanthropists and incubators are the ones who have helped to identify and scale best practices.

A more officially driven effort is required to evaluate digital content and even more importantly to develop cost effective methods of making these available to teachers and students in areas where resources are scarce. Given the issues of scale in terms of numbers and geography, which India needs to tackle in order to reach all her children and make sure they are learning effectively, technology definitely has an important role to play.

The U.