Trends that will shape the Primary Education landscape of India

Vinod Kakumanu
May 31, 2019, 11:04 a.m.

Census of India reflects that the rural literacy rate is just 69 percent, when compared with the world average of 86 percent, it is abject. The elements that are going to be most instrumental in shaping the future of primary education in India are offspring of technological advancement besides rising entrepreneurial interest in education.

With a potential demographic dividend India can look forward to sustained growth in not –so –distant future if we play our cards right. The development of the youth naturally succeeds quality education and this fact makes the education sector a deserving candidate for prioritized treatment.

The ground realities however are dismal and that is nearly a unanimous conclusion. The poorest faring segment within the education sector is that of the primary education preceded by the preschool which is even worse. The impoverished state of education infrastructure in the rural India need not be exaggerated. This fact alone belies all our future projections with regard to our social and economic development.

There is hope of deliverance despite daunting odds and we will look at them and the promise they hold. These are the instrumentalities that will change the future of primary education if they are used purposefully with political will and social cohesion.

Employing Technology in teaching-learning

With the communication revolution that took place in the wake of the advent of digital technology, it is almost stating the obvious that any dramatic change for the better will be caused by intelligent use of digital convergent media and technology to enhance interconnectivity and interactivity.

Smart classes are no more the preserve of elite schools and hopefully they will make a headway in the rural India like they have done in the semi-urban regions. Tools like Google classroom are fundamentally changing the way primary schooling is perceived and it is just one instance to show how promising technology is for the inclusive development in the education sector.

It is known to us that CSR initiatives are getting more or less concentrated in the development of education. Primary education and even pre schooling have found favor with the leading entrepreneurs, Anganwadi development in the state of Andhra Pradesh is a case in point.

The use of technology is going to play a fundamental role in both short-term and long-term changes in the education sector in India.

Revival of Indian Languages

With rising cosmopolitanism and in pursuit of global excellence, the Indian languages have fallen into virtual disuse in urban India and rural India is also being compelled to shed its linguistic originality to enter the fold. This trend is being identified and restoration of Indian languages is being pursued in the interest of education. Researches have shown that the proficiency in the first language or the mother tongue is indispensable for acquisition of second language and therefore promotion of original language is being taken up by the educational bodies including NCERT.

With sustained effort, local languages will be restored, and they will prove instrumental in the propagation of multi-lingual education and multiple literacy.

Ed-Tech Startups

High rate of failure of startups within the first year of initiation notwithstanding, India remains the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world. The lack of innovation has been cited as the most important cause of the frequency of failures. It is interesting that the edu-tech startups are comparatively free from this typical problem. They have proven to be extremely innovative and are changing the educational landscape in a big way.

The Education technology and pedagogical science application startups are becoming a social resource gradually and we can hope that the future will hold a lot to their credit.

Personalized learning and Individualized Mentoring

An optimal teacher student ratio has been vigorously advocated and regulated by the boards of education. The trend has become even more progressive in the recent years and the precepts of personalized learning and individualized attention are rapidly gaining ground. The truth remains that there is a scarcity of teachers in India and single –teacher schools abound. However, as we are reviewing the trends that will be instrumental in fundamentally changing the education scenario in India, the movement towards individualized attention must be counted in.

There are schools that are setting an example by providing individualized attention and personalized learning and enhanced learning outcomes. Several studies and researches are done on individual mentorship and have shown that they can become one of the most influential factors in changing the dynamics of future education.

Skill-Based Education

In view of the expanding dimensions, thanks to the ever- evolving technology, the statement that around 65 % of the primary and upper-primary school children will likely take up a job which is not yet invented is increasingly becoming credible. Emphasis being put on the development of the skillset that includes the development of personality traits in addition to the scholastic aptitude and knowledge is only natural and logical.

As already stated, these are the features and trends of education that are going to change the education scenario dramatically and will be instrumental in bringing about academic and educational equity in the society.