The education imperative: May Parliament rise to the challenge
By Gaurav Gogoi
A country can’t prosper if too many children are left behind and it’s for our parliamentarians to transform this grim reality
In a world driven by science and technology, the absence of foundational skills among India’s next billion learners is a looming disaster. But this crisis can be averted—if parliamentarians step up. Photo credit: Associated Press.
Despite increases in enrolment in schools across India, millions of children fail to acquire foundational literacy and numeracy skills - a looming disaster.
Parliamentarians can ensure this crisis is averted through prioritising education and taking action.
We must ensure political leaders are aligned, committed to empowering students and teachers, engaging communities, securing funding and ensuring data transparency to advance learning.
In ancient Indian philosophy, Vidya—or wisdom—is celebrated as the ultimate liberator, the force that dispels ignorance and uplifts individuals and societies. From the Vedic chant “Asato ma sadgamaya”—lead me from ignorance to truth—to Mahatma Gandhi’s vision of Nai Talim, an education rooted in self-reliance and character building, a broader construct of knowledge has always been central to India’s ethos. Yet today, this vision remains unfulfilled for millions of children. Despite attending school, many fail to acquire even basic literacy and numeracy. Bridging the gap between schooling and learning is essential to delivering on this ancient promise of Vidya.
India has made remarkable strides in education. Literacy rates have soared from 16% in 1947 to over 80% today. Landmark policies, from the National Education Policies of 1968 and 1986 to the transformative Right to Education Act, have expanded access, pushing enrollment from 50% in 1951 to near-universal levels today.
Every year, two million five- and six-year-olds enter Grade 1 in India. Yet, by age 10, over half of them cannot read a basic sentence, and fewer than 29% can comprehend what they read. If these children formed a nation, it would be as large as Japan and would not thrive without addressing this learning crisis.
In a world driven by science and technology, the absence of foundational skills among India’s next billion learners is a looming disaster. But this crisis can be averted—if parliamentarians step up. Five key priorities have emerged through my interactions with the International Parliamentary Network for Education (IPNEd).
1. Acknowledge the challenge
The first step is to acknowledge the scale of the challenge and foster a unified political commitment to tackle it. India’s vast, complex education system serves 26 crore children, taught by 95 lakh teachers across 15 lakh schools. Bringing about reform in this system is an uphill battle. Encouragingly, the government and the opposition recognize the urgency of improving learning outcomes. The government’s NIPUN Bharat mission aims to achieve universal foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) by Grade 3 by 2026-27, while the opposition has also prioritized increased FLN investment in its manifesto.
2. Fund learning and fund it effectively
However, political will alone isn’t enough—it must translate into effective funding.
In 2022-23, the Indian government allocated nearly $319 million to states for improving primary education, yet only 20% of children gained basic skills. Despite significant spending, learning outcomes remain abysmally low.
Parliamentarians must advocate for smarter use of education funds. Ironically, while the government spends around 80% of the budget on printing textbooks, only 1.14% is spent on teacher handbooks, and less than 2% on assessments. It’s like buying a car but neglecting fuel and maintenance. Without proper guidance and measurement, textbooks won’t drive learning improvements. Funds should focus on better support for teachers and measuring progress to ensure every dollar spent drives progress.
3. Support teachers
The third step is to boost teacher motivation. Interestingly, low teacher salaries aren’t the root cause as they earn ten times more than their private school counterparts. The real challenge is managing diverse classrooms with students of different ages and abilities, making it hard to address needs. Despite this, only a small portion of the budget goes toward training teachers to handle such challenges.
We must set sharp goals for teachers, training them to manage diverse classrooms and build a cadre of mentors who can continuously guide teachers to tackle challenges.
Parliamentarians can endorse innovative methods to provide teachers with the necessary support, while at the same time taking the time to felicitate the teachers for their efforts. Simultaneously, parliamentarians need to engage with teachers to understand the challenges they face, bringing those concerns to local authorities or the government.
4. Rally community support through evidence
Once supply-side issues are addressed, parliamentarians must focus on empowering communities, especially parents, to demand quality education. Raising awareness about how parents can support their children’s learning and institutionalizing platforms for parental involvement are key steps. In Chile and Peru, parents provided with information on the income benefits of education, school quality, and funding options led to higher student attendance and outcomes. Similarly, parental engagement programs in Madagascar, Chile, and the Dominican Republic, which shared insights on children’s learning progress, significantly strengthened parent-school collaboration and boosted learning outcomes.
Data transparency and public disclosure are crucial. Reliable assessments of student learning should be shared clearly so that parents can assess school performance and hold schools accountable, rather than solely focusing on infrastructure.
Parliamentarians can amplify this information, empowering communities to demand better education in their schools. This united push can turn education into a political priority that can no longer be overlooked.
5. Master the basics for a holistic education
Prioritizing foundational literacy and numeracy creates a ripple effect across the education system. When children master the basics, schools can focus on broader development, integrating opportunities for sports, arts, and cultural activities. Building strong foundational skills lays the groundwork for holistic education—one that strengthens academics and nurtures well-rounded, responsible citizens ready to thrive in life.
Just as ancient India flourished with the transformative power of Vidya, today’s political leaders have the opportunity to create a "modern Vidya" that can drive global change. To achieve this, we need a unified coalition of political leaders across the Global South, committed to empowering students and teachers, engaging communities, securing timely funding, ensuring data transparency, and sharing good practices towards holistic learning. The aspiration of global prosperity and sustainability for future generations starts with the prosperity of the Global South’s ability to overcome these challenges and meet SGD4 goals. The journey begins in the classroom, where we must lead our children from ignorance to truth—and ignite the spark of prosperity for generations to come.
This article was originally published online and in print by the Mint on 24th December, 2024.
Gaurav Gogoi is a three-time Member of Parliament representing Assam and Deputy Leader of the Indian National Congress in the Lok Sabha - India's national parliament.
