Accelerating learning outcomes for Marginalized community students: Concurrent evaluation of Learning Acceleration program of Government of Odisha, India

• In Event: Learning outcome for marginalized students

Proposal

Introduction
Education is fundamental to centrally important beings and doings (Sen, 1992). Scholarly work of Alkire (2002); Saito, 2003; Vaughan, 2007 and Terzi 2007, have established education as basic capability that has instrumental value and lack of which can substantially put an individual to disadvantage. In current context, education of inadequate quality would mean that other capabilities would inherently remain deficient or might not get an opportunity to be formed. In context of the right to free and compulsory education for children in India (RTE Act, 2009), every child under age 6-14 years must have equal opportunity to quality education.
The study is situated in context of an under-developed state in India, Odisha. The state saw shrinking gross enrollment ratio – from 101.31 percent to 96.50 percent) and Net Enrollment Ratio – 93.27 percent to 87.57 percent over the period of 2011-12 to 2015-16 . The quantum of children who left the school before completing elementary levels of education during 2009-2014 remained more than 6 lakh (CAG, 2014). Out of all 65 lakh children of 6-14 years enrolled, children from the disadvantaged groups – scheduled caste (SC) and scheduled tribes (ST) constitute 12 lakh and 17 lakh respectively with drop-out rates among SC and ST remaining comparatively high (UDISE Report, 2015-16) .
The system of education is further constrained owing to low level of learning, especially for the students from the disadvantaged groups and lack of trained teachers in constructivist approach to teaching-learning. State intervention must be such that ensures equitable learning opportunity by creating enabling conditions for children to develop grade-specific basic competencies (functionings) to realize capability in formal education.
About the intervention
To address the persistent gaps and improve the performance level of students in Grades III, V and VII, Govt. of Odisha has designed a holistic programme entitled “UJJWAL” to ensure the minimum learning achievement of the children and effective classroom transaction by the teachers. The main focus of the programme is to remove learning deficits and ensure -all students attain fluency and competency in Language, English and Mathematics along with good values and basics of good conduct.
The programme tries to touch dimensions of the quality education having implications for students, teachers and school that shape the capability in formal education by development of basic competencies and compensation for learning deficit:
• Learning indicators (LINDICs) for children in Language (Odia and English) and Mathematics (prepared class-wise in detail)
• Performance indicators for teachers (PINDICs) developed in line with the PINDICs prepared by the National Council for Education Research and Training.
• SAHAJ- earlier initiative by the state for the slow learners through remedial teaching support ensuring grade appropriate learning.
• Adoption of schools by all officers of the School and Mass Education Department
Objectives:
1) To understand the extent of compensation of deficit learning by the magnitude of change in identified competencies (functionings in language and numeracy)
2) To understand the extent of school processes shaping the formation of competencies
3) To understand the difference in learning levels attributed to the intervention as compared to the control group with reference to comprehensive outcomes
Data and Methodology
The study draws on data obtained under Ujjwal programme, covering sample of 300 schools distributed across 3 revenue divisions, 6 districts and 12 blocks of the State, covering 4,500 students from grade 3, 5 and 7, total of 13500 students. For children to develop across various ages and grades, certain learning standards are fixed which provide articulate descriptions of what students should know and be able to do, based on National Curriculum Framework (NCF 2005) and the syllabi developed as a follow up for various curricular areas.
The analysis of data is carried out using two level Hierarchical Linear Model (HLM) or Multilevel model will be developed to explore the comprehensive outcomes that affect learning at individual and school levels.
Preliminary result and finding
The current intervention by the Government of Odisha, India, for accelerating learning levels of marginalized students have provided impetus to drive towards bring equality in the education system. The results suggest that following student centered learning does improve marginalized students chances of achieving minimum learning level. Provision of dedicated support to students from marginalized community improves the learning level by 5% point compared to students who did not receive dedicated support. However, the effectiveness of the program was observed to be compromised by the fact that the in-service training to teachers to carry out learning acceleration program was not focused on helping teacher develop lesson plans and formative assessment.

Authors

• shashiranjan Jha, IPE Global

• Shalender sharma, IPE Global

• Sanjay Singh, Department of Education, Government of Bihar