Quality Education Can Bridge The Rural-Urban Divide

Quality education is a tool that has the ability to transform societies. Education (directly or indirectly) impacts and deals with various social issues including gender equality, mortality, social inclusion, child safety, and development among others. Education imparts skills and desirable behaviour.

Education also shapes the values and norms of an individual which in turn form a community that is able to survive and thrive during difficult times. Education is key in creating cohesion between individual and community goals thereby contributing to national and global development.

As per the (UNICEF) data, one out of every 8 children in our country between the age of 5-14 ends up working, mainly in the household cleaning segment as a means to support their family. Around 29 percent of children drop out of primary school. This number is alarming as this negatively affects the secondary and higher education data. 75 percent of these children come from rural areas around India specifically from the states of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh.

Additionally, the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER 2022) rural, shows that there was a rise in school enrolment between 2018-2022 across age groups, however, 2022 statistics indicate that there is a significant reduction in the mathematical and reading abilities of students in Grade III. It further reveals, that between 2012-2022 the learning trajectories remained relatively flat for Grades V-VIII.

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Quality Education

The process for change starts by identifying the gaps in high-quality and equitable education for all. The existing socio-economic gap is growing by the hour and creating a learning crisis in global education. The urban-rural education divide in India is a heavy contributor to this gap.

Urban areas have better education infrastructure; their educational institutions are also much more advanced (elementary and high school levels) compared to rural areas. Rural schools lack basic infrastructure and services for students including no drinking water, and access to proper sanitation facilities.

The course curriculum is vastly different in urban and rural areas at the elementary level rendering students in rural areas at a disadvantage as their grasping power never reaches that of an urban student attending private school.

This divide also extends to education expenditure and access to digital resources in ru4ral India.

The survey conducted by the National Statistics Office (NSO) (Household Social Consumption: Education 2018) revealed a huge expenditure gap of 5,240 rupees in rural households vs 16,308 rupees (annually) in the urban households in the pre-primary and above level category. While in the technical/professional category, rural area expenditure per student annually stood at 32,137 rupees and Urban area at 64,763 rupees (twice as much).

This gap is also visible in the digital access to education as only 4 percent of rural households have access to computers and 14.9 percent have access to the internet vs 23 percent and 42 percent in urban households, respectively (NSO).

Due to the lack of technological know-how, students have to be in the classroom in order to get a proper learning experience. However, getting from their home to the nearest school can be a tough journey in itself. Computer training is still not one of the key focus areas in rural areas. Especially, during the pandemic, the students in rural areas suffered a great deal.

Only 15 percent of schools in India are located in urban areas, and 85 percent are situated in rural areas. This translates to 72 percent of adolescents of our total population living in rural areas. As for teaching staff, 75 percent of the total teachers in the country are also based out of rural locations (UNICEF).

The government of India is working towards improving the literacy rate in rural India through various initiatives. The Right to Education Act has successfully reduced the number of dropouts in school children aged 6-14 to 6 million (2014) from 13.46 million (2006) (RI-IMRB survey). The amended central rules of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, now include class-wise and subject-wise learning outcomes to improve focus on quality education. Some of the other initiatives in the education space by the government are Padhna Likhna Abhiyan, Samagra Shiksha, Mid-Day-Meal (MDM) Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA).

However, for significant improvement, it is imperative that other significant players in the education system also contribute to being able to reach the remotest areas of the country. Some of the steps that can be taken to achieve these goals are:

Bridging The Gap Through Education

Public and Private Partnerships

Public resources alone cannot meet the requirement of high-quality education for all. Merging public and private resources can help offer the best of both worlds to the students including funds, technology, productivity, and achieving results. The PPP model works great for developing countries and only a truly inclusive education system can improve the literacy rate and quality of life in rural India.

More Schools

There is a need for more schools to encourage more students to join the school. The scarcity of schools makes it difficult for students to make the journey hence, more schools in rural areas with low fees can help students even from a low socio-economic background to join the school and finish their education. Special focus should also be placed on girls and students belonging to marginalised communities.

Practical Know-How

The focus in the rural area needs to shift to practical knowledge than learning facts. Teachers need to adopt new ways of teaching in order to impart conceptual knowledge with practical examples.

Technology

If the pandemic taught us anything, it is the importance of connectivity. The global market is technology-driven and rural India needs to make use of this tool to catch on with urban India. Basic knowledge of technology and the use of the internet alone can open doors to new opportunities. Using technology can also improve the experience for both students and teachers and eliminate the need to travel to school to attend classes.

Entrepreneurs operating in the Ed-tech space must consider the huge, untapped rural market in India. However, it is essential to consider a few limitations such as one device in a family, limited data packs, ease of language, and availability of electricity to ensure all students have equal opportunity to learn and grow.

As per United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), 62.5 percent of India’s population comprises of age group 15-59, making it one of the youngest populations in this ageing world. In order to maximise the benefits of this ‘demographic dividend’, it is essential to invest in the social infrastructure to create a productive workforce that contributes to the welfare of society. Education lies at the centre of solving these problems.

In the words of the great Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Together, we must strive to carry the poorest and hardest-to-reach youth into the system. Education is a basic human right regardless of social, economic, and cultural background. Let us collectively uphold this right for humanity, sustainability, and the overall growth and development of mankind.

Authored by Tina Assi Pande, Mentor & Senior Advisory Board Member, IN-DEED Foundation.