Poor education or poor survey?
The results of the test conducted in three subjects -- environmental studies,
mathematics and language
BY NILESH KHANDEPARKAR
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
PANJIM: A survey conducted by the National Council of Educational Research and
Training (NCERT) and released recently, paints the state's education sector in
poor light. However, the NCERT study has not taken into account a crucial
factor -- referred to by educationists as the 'Transition Period' or the
'Switchover Effect'.
What this essentially means is the shift students have to make from the
vernacular medium to English, when they pass Std IV and seek admission to Std V.
The results
The NCERT conducted its survey, for the academic year 2005-06, in April 2006
and involved a sample size of 1,231 Goan students studying in Std V. The
results of the test conducted in three subjects -- environmental studies,
mathematics and language -- reveals a mean percentage of 35.60 percent in
environmental studies, 30.48 in mathematics and 44.68 percent in languages.
Questions raised about the survey
But, is it right to paint the state education sector in poor light merely on
the basis of a random survey conducted by the National Council for Educational
Research and Training (NCERT)? And that too, on a miniscule sample? Moreover,
what is the quality of the sample in question?
Figures at a glance
As per the statistics available with the Directorate of Education for the year
2006-2007, a total of 436 middle schools - both in the aided category and
government schools -- function in the state. In this case, schools imparting
education for Std V, VI and VII are categorised as Middle Schools.
Contrast this with the size of the sample in question -- 28 of North Goa and 30
of South Goa making a total of 58 schools examined in the NCERT survey. The
1,231 students who appeared for the test comprised a tiny portion of the
overall figure of 19,000 students studying in Std V. What's worse -- the
schools so selected are predominantly from rural areas -- the ratio being 3:1
in favour of schools in rural areas.
More details of the survey
"The survey was conducted by the State Council of Educational Research and
Training (SCERT) on behalf of the NCERT. The survey format, response sheets,
pupils/teachers questionnaires were sent by them. NCERT identified the sample
for the survey as also the location of the schools while using the random
sampling procedure in this exercise," says the Joint Director of SCERT Santosh
Amonkar.
Where the survey falters
Many things have been given the go-by when the NCERT embarked on the task of
conducting this survey. One, while Std V is counted among the middle school
level in Goa, the central level includes it in its Primary category and therey
clubs it alongwith Std I to IV.
The most important factor
Two, in so far as Goa is concerned, it is faced with a unique situation. In the
rural areas of the state, it is a common practice for students to learn with
vernacular languages -- Marathi or Konkani -- as their medium of instruction
from Std I to Std IV. The switchover from vernacular to English as the medium
of instruction inevitably takes place when the student passes Std IV and seeks
admission to Std V.
That's when one experiences a drastic drop in the passing percentages which has
a cascading effect on the individual performance as well as the overall result
of Std V.
This 'Switchover Effect', in bureaucratic parlance, is referred to as the
'Transition Period'. Billed by eminent educationist as the most important
factor, this has not been factored in into the NCERT survey.
"The shift from vernacular medium to English is one factor for the poor
results. To that extent, the question paper itself may not have been to the
expected level of the students," says Director of Education Dr Celsa Pinto.
No-Detention Policy
The third reason, according to Dr Pinto, is, what she calls, the lack of
ability of our students studying in Std I to Std IV to imbibe language and
mathematical skills.
"This is due to the No-Detention Policy wherein no formal assessment is
conducted at the end of each Standard," she informs.
The sample size
Fourth, the sample size does not reflect the ground reality. Just 1,231
students from North and South Goa were tested from a total of 19,000 students
appearing for Std V.
The medium of instruction
Fifth, in many other states, the NCERT conducted these tests in the
vernacular/local language which was the students' medium of instruction. "In
Rajasthan, the test was conducted in Hindi. Likewise, in Nagaland, it was
conducted in their medium of instruction. But, wherever the medium of
instruction is in English, the tests were also conducted in English," adds
Amonkar.
An improved performance
It is understood that the aforesaid NCERT survey -- referred to as the Mid-Term
Achievement Survey(MAS) -- conducted in the year 2005 is a follow-up on another
such survey conducted by the NCERT is the year 2001-02 which was then termed as
the Base Line Achievement Survey(BAS).
Interestingly, Goa shows an improvement between 6 to 10 percent in MAS over the
BAS conducted in the year 2001-02. Along with Goa, four other states also share
this honour -- Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka and Kerala.
Among the front-runners are only two states -- Himachal Pradesh and Uttar
Pradesh - while the progress of the remaining states hovers between 0 to 5
percent, reveals MAS, Chairman of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Pandurang Nadkarni,
informed.
Remedies to fight the problem
The Education Department plans to adopt a two-pronged strategy to fight this
anomaly. Quoting the Deputy Director of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Nagaraj
Honnekeri, the Director of Education Dr Celsa Pinto said the SSA has entered
into an MOU with Setu Navnirmiti -- an NGO -- to enhance mathematical skills of
students studying in Std I to Std IV in Sanguem taluka.
"The Evaluation Test will be conducted in March. If successful, this project
will be replicated in other talukas. It includes training of teachers and they
have been supplied a kit to be used in each school. This project has worked
well in Maharashtra," she added.
Quality Improvement Programme
The Education Department has also entered into an MOU with Bharatiya Jain
Sanghatana. A three year project, it aims at covering all schools in Goa under
a Quality Improvement Programme. The salient features of this programme are as
follows: Accreditation of schools, capacity building through programmes with a
view to give a direction to life. It includes aptitude testing to enable
students choose a stream after Std X.
NCERT still on the job
Perhaps, what could deliver accurate or acceptable results to educationists is
the ongoing survey conducted by the NCERT on similar lines for Std VII.
"Currently, the NCERT is conducting a survey for students of Std VII," informs
Amonkar. Once the results are out, it may well put to rest the ongoing
controversy -- ironically pinned on the 'Switchover Effect' or the 'Transition
Period' .
........
BOX
Figures at a glance
Nature of sample: Students studying in Std V tested
Sample Size: 1,231 students
Schools: 28(North Goa), 30(South Goa) -- Total 58
Total no of schools at Middle School level -- 436
Total no of students(studying in Std V): 19,000
Ratio of schools selected: 3:1 (Rural:Urban)
The existing education system in Goa
Primary level: from std I to std IV
Middle school level: from std V to std VII
Secondary school level: from std VIII to std X
Higher secondary level: std XI and std XII
The education system followed by NCERT
Primary level: from std I to std V
Upper Primary level: from std VI to std VIII
Secondary level: std IX and std X
Senior secondary level: std XI and std XII
........
EOM
On 2/29/08, Miguel Braganza <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Poor education or
poor survey?
PANJIM: A survey conducted by the National Council of Educational Research and
Training paints the state's education sector in poor colour. However, it has
not taken into account a crucial factor - referred to by educationists as the
"Transition Period" or the "Switchover Effect".
What this essentially means is the shift students have to make from vernacular
medium to English, when they pass Std IV and seek admission to Std V. The
survey conducted in April 2006 involved a sample size of 1,231 Goan students
studying in Std V. The results of the test conducts in three subjects -
environmental studies, mathematics and language - reveals a mean percentage of
35.60 pc, 30.48 pc and 44.68 pc respectively. Is it right to paint the state
education sector in poor light merely on the basis of a random survey conducted
by NCERT, and that too, on a miniscule sample? [Nilesh Khandeparkar, GT]
---------------------------------
DELETE button is history. Unlimited mail storage is just a click away.
