The contrast between those struggling to access basic education and those enjoying enhanced access is striking. What is astonishing is the silence in the media
Something is seriously amiss in India’s education system. Although inequality in education (as in most other factors contributing to quality of life) is well-known and documented, the contrast that is emerging is so stark as to be frightening in terms of its potential repercussions. On the one hand we read of absolute paucity of resources in education painting a pathetic picture the more so at a time when there is so much chest thumping about how India will become a $5 trillion economy. And on the other hand we see some sections of Indian media, business and general, drooling over the ever increasing valuations of edtech companies. Not to mention the ever increasing decibel levels about digital education and digital transformation. The insensitivity is abominable. Let us however not get carried away by anger and clinically present some facts.
In a news story titled ‘Govt admits there are nearly 1 lakh schools with only one teacher’, January 8, 2019, India Today states that “as per unified district information system of education (udise), 2016-17 (provisional), there are 92,275 single-teacher government schools at both elementary level and secondary level, as per the data available with the government, Minister of State for Human Resource Development, Satya Pal Singh said in Parliament on Monday”. This was a written reply in Lok Sabha (https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/govt-admits-there-are-nearly-1-lakh-schools-with-only-one-teacher-1425847-2019-01-08)
Nearly two years later, India Today, October 11, 2021, carried a news story that “according to Unesco’s state education report 2021, the availability of computers in schools in India has been found to be only 22% and only 19% of schools have internet availability” (https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/news/story/unesco-report-2021-only-19-schools-across-india-have-access-to-internet-1863339-2021-10-11). The Times of India added that “a total of 19% or 11.16 lakh teaching positions lie vacant in the country, 69% of them in rural areas” (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/1-lakh-schools-in-india-run-with-just-1-teacher-each-unesco-report/articleshow/86798798.cms).
To add to the distressing state of affairs, we read that (July 2, 2021) “according to a government report, the dropout rate at the secondary school level in India is more than 17%, while the dropout rate at upper-primary (vi to viii) and primary level is 1.8% and 1.5%. The dropout rate among boys is quite high at the secondary level, as compared to the primary level. It is worth noting that according to the latest Unified District Information System for Education Plus or UDISE+ 2019-20 report, about 30 percent of students do not make the transition from secondary to senior secondary level. It has been revealed from the report that there are 19 states/union territories where the dropout rate at the secondary level (Class IX and X) is much higher than the All India rate (17.3%). The dropout rate is more than 25% in Tripura, Sikkim, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh. In fact, four states have registered a dropout rate of more than 30%”.(https://news.abplive.com/education/dropout-rate-at-secondary-school-level-in-india-is-more-than-17-claims-study-1466998).
Edtech
Edtech companies meanwhile are basking in sunshine. Staying with the same period (as mentioned above) we read that “education technology or edtech was one of the least funded sectors in India until 2019, but the rise of remote learning during the covid-ridden 2020 has given a new set of wings to this otherwise ignored segment” (https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/india-now-has-four-edtech-unicorns-byju-unacademy-eruditis-upgrad/articleshow/85300757.cms). It goes on to say that between January 2020 and August 2021, India has seen three startups turn unicorn ($1 billion) and one into a decacorn ($10 billion). It is obvious that money is flowing into this sector because investors are bullish. Clearly, the addressable audience for this can only be upper middle class and above.
In another story on December 31, 2020, we read that “According to a report by PGA Labs and IVCA, India’s education sector is poised to grow from the current $117 billion to $225 billion by FY25 (https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/india-edtech-in-charts-how-the-shift-to-online-learning-meant-money-valuation-and-users-for-the-likes-of-byjus-unacademy-and-others/articleshow/80040270.cms).
I am stopping this portrayal of the contrast because I think it is clear.
We have an absolute shortage of teachers, the most basic infrastructure, dropouts, co-existing with growing valuations of edtech companies. What is astonishing is that the media hasn’t commented on this ‘pattern’, ironically at a time when everyone is overselling analytics as a study and professional career. This contrast is staring at us and what we have is silence.
Takeaways
More than one lakh schools run with one teacher
School dropouts has increased
Edtech is enjoying good time with high valuations
The contrast is striking and needs to be attended to
