TheLearning-levels-1124732.html”>National Achievement Survey (NAS) of 2021reported an Average learning level of 59% in grade 3, 49% in grade 5, 42% in grade 8 and 36% in grade 10. This indicates a decline in learning levels with an increase in grade level and has far-reaching implications for young Indians readiness for the 21st-century workplace and Indias preparedness for the Fourth Industrial revolution.
Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the digital divide caused by disparate access to, and affordability of, technology (such as Internet connectivity and electricity) and devices (such as computers and mobile devices). This divide varies across geographies, demographics and communities. Additionally, students with disabilities face unique challenges due to the lack of peer support, lower concentration levels and the need for better parental support.
A joint effort between the World Economic Forum, UNICEF and YuWaah (Generation Unlimited in India) proposes solutions that align with, and augment and amplify,Indias National Education Policy (NEP) 2020and theNational Digital Education Architecture of 2021.
The report identifies four focus areas for interventions: foundational numeracy and Literacy (FLN), teachers capacity building, school-to-work transition and connecting the unconnected. The interventions are categorised under five building blocks, namely: curriculum, content, capacity, community and digital.