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      in UK Politics

      Private school pupils likely to ‘elbow out’ state students in scramble for university places, experts warn

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      Poorer pupils are more likely than ever to miss out on top university courses, experts have warned, as this year’s A-level results widen the gap between private and state schools.The proportion of A-level students given top grades reached a record high, with nearly half achieving an A or above, after exams were cancelled and marks were determined by teachers. But data from regulator Ofqual showed the increase in A grades was 50 per cent higher in independent schools than in secondary comprehensives – prompting fears that this would combine with the record number of university applications to “compound” inequality in the education system.The data also showed that black students, those on free school meals and those living in areas of high deprivation were all less likely to achieve the top A or A* grades than their more privileged peers.The relative success of private schools means state school pupils still trying to pin down a place at university in the weeks ahead could be “elbowed out”, experts warned.Dr Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at Exeter University, said he was worried many students from low-income backgrounds could lose out during the fierce battle for places – including on top courses at “selective” Russell Group and Oxbridge universities.“It is deeply concerning to see widening socioeconomic divides in this year’s A-level results, confirming our worst fears – that the pandemic has exacerbated educational inequalities that were already there,” Dr Elliot Major told The Independent.“On the basis of the results, my worry is that some disadvantaged students won’t get into the highly prestigious courses, and will be elbowed out by those from privileged backgrounds. I also worry whether some [disadvantaged students] who didn’t get the expected grades will get a university place at all.”The gap between the most privileged and least privileged pupils in securing university places has widened, according to data shared by Ucas on Tuesday. The admissions body admitted that the lack of progress in opening up higher education to all was “disappointing”.Ucas said a record number of students (395,770) had secured a place on their first-choice university course – up 8 per cent on last year. The data shows 20.7 per cent of all 18-year-olds from the most disadvantaged backgrounds in the UK have secured an undergraduate place, up 2 per cent on last year.However, the most privileged students are doing far better than before at securing university places. Some 48.4 per cent from the most privileged backgrounds have secured an undergraduate place this year – up 6 per cent on last year.Carl Cullinane, head of research at the Sutton Trust education think tank, said there is a danger of pupils from independent schools “pulling away” from those in state schools. “The widening gaps in top grades have obvious knock-on implications for admissions to selective universities and widening participation,” he told The Independent.“We fear it’s likely to have an impact on admissions for disadvantaged students. The scramble for places will be most sharp at the most selective universities. Applications to those universities have shot up this year, so they’re much more competitive than usual.”The proportion of A-level entries awarded an A grade or higher rose to an all-time high after students were given grades determined by teachers, rather than based on external exams. In total, more than two in five (44.8 per cent) of UK entries were awarded an A or A* grade, up by 6.3 percentage points on last year.Although teaching unions hailed the success of students in the face of Covid disruption, dismissing concerns about “grade inflation”, experts fear students from less privileged backgrounds won’t be able to take advantage of this year’s record results.Private schools have seen an absolute increase in A or A* grades of 9.3 per cent this year, compared to 6.2 per cent among secondary comprehensives. The gap in achieving A-level grades between candidates who are black, receive free school meals, or experience a very high level of deprivation and those who are not in those categories widened by 1.43, 1.42 and 1.39 per cent respectively.Kate Green MP, Labour’s shadow education secretary, said the government’s “chaotic” last-minute decision on exams and assessment over the past year had “opened the door to unfairness”.Research by the Sutton Trust found that independent, fee-charging schools are more likely than state schools to use a wide variety of assessments – including prior access to questions as well as “open book” tests, which allow pupils to refer to coursework notes.Parental pressure is also more prevalent at private schools, research has shown. Some 23 per cent of teachers at private schools said parents had approached or pressured them about their child’s grades this year, compared to just 11 per cent at the least affluent state schools, according to the Sutton Trust.Many pupils spent large parts of this year unable to study effectively due to a lack of appropriate devices, access to the internet or acceptable space to study – factors not included when assessing this year’s results.Sam Tuckett, senior researcher at the Education Policy Institute, said the impact of the attainment gap was likely to be felt among those trying to get places on the most popular courses at Russell Group universities.Recent analysis showed that just over two-thirds of applications to selective universities had resulted in offers by July, compared to almost three-quarters at the same stage last year. And the number of courses being offered by selective universities through clearing has fallen by a third, from 4,500 last year to only 3,000 this year.“We may see some universities unable to offer places to students who have just missed out on expected grades – especially when it comes to high-demand courses at selective universities,” said Mr Tuckett.“The clearing process could be even more competitive. The A-level results suggest that if you’re from a disadvantaged background, grades won’t have increased as much since last year on average – so you may be more likely to need to apply to university through clearing.”Educators and campaigners have expressed concerns that basing this year’s A-level results on teacher predictions rather than exams has left black students in particular at a disadvantage.Research shows that gaps indicating lower outcomes in 2020 for black African, black Caribbean and mixed white students relative to their white British counterparts have increased by between 1.85 and 2.97 percentage points in 2021.Lavinya Stennett, CEO and founder of The Black Curriculum, a social enterprise, said: “This form of assessment leaves room for teacher biases to determine a student’s worth. For black students in particular, grades will be predicted on the basis of assumed capabilities, stemming from generalised characteristics of their ethnic and socioeconomic background.”Meanwhile, education secretary Gavin Williamson joined the teaching unions to defend this year’s results amid concerns over grade inflation, calling on people to celebrate young people’s success during a difficult year.But influential Conservative MP Robert Halfon, chair of the Commons Education Committee, suggested that grade inflation was so “baked” into the system it could cause universities even more problems with admissions in the years ahead.He told BBC Radio 4’s The World At One: “I do think in the long term, because of the huge increase in As and A*s, that we need to look at our exam system in general.” More

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      in UK Politics

      Top A-level grades soar at private schools in widening divide with state students

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      The divide between private schools and state schools when it comes to achieving top A-level results has widened this year, sparking alarm among education leaders.The increase in A grades awarded today is 50 per cent higher among private schools compared with secondary comprehensives, according to Labour analysis of government data.The Ofqual data also shows that black students, those on free school meals and those living in areas of high deprivation were all less likely to achieve the top A or A* grades than their more advantaged peers.Education experts said existing inequalities had been exacerbated by the pandemic this year – urging universities to address the “unfairness” by giving extra consideration to disadvantaged students this year.“We’re seeing growing gaps between independent and state schools at the top grades,” said Sir Peter Lampl, chair of the Sutton Trust think tank. “The pandemic has compounded existing inequalities and today’s results are a reflection of that.”Sir Peter added: “It’s of real concern that the gap between those from less affluent areas and those from well-off areas has grown. Given that disrupted learning has affected lower income youngsters more, we urge universities to give additional consideration to disadvantaged students.”The Sutton Trust said disparities in remote learning and changes in assessment during the Covid crisis have hit those from the poorest backgrounds the hardest.Many pupils spent large amounts of this year unable to study effectively due to lack of appropriate devices, access to the internet or acceptable space to study – factors not included when assessing this year’s results.Private schools have seen an absolute increase in A grades of 9.3 per cent this year – compared to 6.2 per cent among secondary comprehensives. The increase in A grades at private schools was more than double the 3.8 per cent rise seen among students at sixth form colleges.Independent, fee-paying schools have seen the biggest rise in the number of A or A* grades during the pandemic – soaring from 44 per cent in the year before the Covid crisis to 70 per cent this year. By comparison, secondary comprehensives had seen the number of A or A* grades rise from 20 per cent to 39 per cent over the past two years.When it comes to achieving A or A* grades, the gap between black candidates, free school meal candidates, and candidates with a very high level of deprivation and other students has widened by 1.43, 1.42 and 1.39 per cent respectively this year.Kate Green MP, Labour’s shadow education secretary, said the government’s “chaotic” last-minute decision on exams and assessment over the past year had “opened the door to unfairness”.The Labour frontbencher added: “The increase in A grades is 50 per cent higher among private schools, while black students, students on free school meals and in areas of high deprivation are being increasingly out performed by their more advantaged peers.”Research by The Sutton Trust found that independent, fee-charging schools are more likely than state schools to use a wider variety of assessments – including giving prior access to questions and “open book” tests, which allow pupils to refer to coursework notes.Parental pressure is also more prevalent at private schools, research has shown. Some 23 per cent of parents at private schools said parents had approached or pressured them about their child’s grades this year, compared to just 11 per cent at the least affluent state schools, according to the Sutton Trust.The Education Policy Institute (EPI) also warned of “inconsistencies” between assessment in different kinds of schools. A spokesperson for the EPI said: “The nature of private schools means their teachers are more directly accountable to parents, increasing the risk of pressure to increase grades.”The proportion of A-level entries awarded an A grade or higher has risen to an all-time high after exams were cancelled for the second year in a row due to Covid-19. In total, more than two in five (44.8 per cent) of UK entries were awarded an A or A* grade this summer, up by 6.3 percentage points on last year.Ucas said a record number of students have secured a place on their first-choice university course following the bumper year for results.But youngsters who missed out on the grades required to meet their offers are likely to face greater competition for a place at top institutions as there could be fewer courses on offer in clearing.Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at Exeter University, said he was worried students from poorer backgrounds could lose out in the “intense” competition for degree courses.“It is deeply concerning to see widening socio-economic divides in this year’s A-level results, confirming our worst fears – the pandemic has exacerbated educational inequalities outside and inside the school gates,” said Dr Major.“The government urgently needs to set out its plans for a return to national exam system from next year that is fair to all pupils irrespective of what school they attend or home they come from. Unless universities up their game, we could see social mobility put back years.”Tory MP Robert Halfon, chair of the Commons Education Committee, shared his concerns about the fierce competition for university places. “I do worry about the fact that we seem to have, in essence, baked a hard rock cake of grade inflation into our exam results.”He told BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme said the rise in top grades could store up problems in the immediate years ahead. “I do think in the long-term, because of the huge increase in As and A*s, that we need to look at our exam system in general.” More

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      in US Politics

      Fears as more children falling ill in latest US Covid surge and school approaches

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      CoronavirusFears as more children falling ill in latest US Covid surge and school approachesNational Institutes of Health director says 1,450 kids in hospital Teachers union shifts, calls for vaccine mandates for teachers Edward HelmoreSun 8 Aug 2021 13.54 EDTLast modified on Sun 8 Aug 2021 13.56 EDTAmid increased fears that children are now both victims and vectors of the latest Covid-19 variant surge, National Institutes of Health director Francis Collins signaled on Sunday that increasing numbers of children are falling ill in the US.His comments also came as one of America’s largest teachers unions appeared to shift its position on mandatory vaccinations for teachers.With around 90 million adult Americans remaining unvaccinated, and vaccines remaining unauthorized for 12 years and under, Collins told ABC News This Week with George Stephanopoulos that “the largest number of children so far in the whole pandemic right now are in the hospital, 1,450 kids in the hospital from Covid-19.”Collins acknowledged that data on pediatric infections was incomplete but he said that he was “hearing from pediatricians that they’re concerned that, this time, the kids who are in the hospital are both more numerous and more seriously ill”.Collins’s comments came as new Covid-19 cases in the US have rebounded to more than 100,000 a day on average, returning to the levels of the winter surge six months ago. But health officials focus on children adds urgency to the situation as the US education system approaches the start of the school year.Collins said his advice to parents of school-age children is to “think about masks in the way that they ought to be thought about”.He added: “This is not a political statement or an invasion of your liberties. This is a life-saving medical device. And asking kids to wear a mask is uncomfortable, but, you know, kids are pretty resilient. We know that kids under 12 are likely to get infected and if we don’t have masks in schools, this virus will spread more widely.”The alternative, he said, “will probably result in outbreaks in schools and kids will have to go back to remote learning which is the one thing we really want to prevent”.Warning that virtual learning that kids have experienced for more than a year is “really bad for their development”, Collins urged that “we ought to be making every effort to make sure they can be back in the classroom. And the best way to do that is to be sure that masks are worn by the students, by the staff, by everybody.”The president of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, went further, calling for vaccine mandates for teachers. “As a matter of personal conscience, I think that we need to be working with our employers, not opposing them, on vaccine mandates,” she told NBC’s Meet The Press.Weingarten’s comments are an advance on the union’s earlier position in which it maintained teachers should be prioritized for the vaccines but stopped short of supporting a mandate. That shift was previewed last week when Weingarten said she would consider supporting vaccine mandates to keep students and staff safe and schools open.Dr Anthony Fauci, chief medical adviser to Joe Biden, also echoed Weingarten’s comments Sunday, saying the best way to protect children from the virus is to “surround them with those who can be vaccinated, whoever they are. Teachers, personnel in the school, anyone, get them vaccinated.”Dr Scott Gottlieb, former FDA commissioner, also weighed in on the concerns, saying that schools are not “inherently safe” from the Delta variant and that society “can’t expect the same outcome that we saw earlier with respect to the schools where we were largely able to control large outbreaks in the schools with a different set of behaviors.”“The challenge right now is that the infection is going to start to collide with the opening of school. And we have seen that the schools can become sources of community transmission when you’re dealing with more transmissible strains,” Gottleib told CBS’s Face the Nation.TopicsCoronavirusUS politicsSchoolsInfectious diseasesVaccines and immunisationnewsReuse this content More

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      in UK Politics

      Government told it would be ‘reckless’ to scrap BTECs

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      Unions have urged Gavin Williamson not to scrap most BTECqualifications, saying such a move would be “reckless”.The education minister has been urged to keep these qualifications which “play a vital role in helping young people progress” in the next stage of their lives.Announcing a shake-up earlier this month, the government announced it would stop funding poor-quality qualifications that overlapped with new T-levels.The Department for Education (DfE) said apprenticeships, A-levels and T-levels – two-year technical courses that are the equivalent of three A-levels – will become the main progression options after GCSEs.A group of 12 organisations have urged the government to rethink plans to scrap funding for “the vast majority of applied general qualifications”.“These are well established, well respected qualifications that play a vital role in helping young people progress to higher education or employment, and in meeting the skills needs of employers,” their letter said.“For many students, studying one or more applied general qualifications will be a more effective way of accessing, remaining in, and progressing from 16 to 19 education than studying A levels or T levels.”The government said the reforms would streamline post-16 qualifications into an academic path leading to further study and a technical path leading to work.It said the shake-up would “remote low-quality qualifications that lack job prospects” and mean qualifications will need to prove they provide employers with required skills or lead to good higher education courses, as well as a “real need for them to be funded”. The 12 groups – which includes the Association for School and College Leaders (ASCL) union, the Sixth Form Colleges’ Association (SFCA) and National Union for Students (NUS) – have said disadvantaged students would “have the most to lose” by the changes, saying research shows “applied general qualifications are engines of social mobility”.The Social Market Foundation found 44 per cent of white working-class students going to university had at least one BTEC, while 37 per cent of black students did so with only BTEC qualifications, their letter said. “Applied general qualifications like BTECs are popular with students, respected by employers and provide a well-established route to higher education or employment,” James Kewin from SFCA said. “So it is hard to fathom why the government wants to scrap most of them and force young people to choose between studying A levels or T levels from the age of 16.”Meanwhile, ASCL’s Geoff Barton said: “Applied general qualifications give many disadvantaged young people an established route to higher education, apprenticeships and future careers.”He added: “It would be reckless of the government to ditch these qualifications simply to clear the way for T-levels which may well prove to be a good option for some young people but are largely untried and untested.”The government has already removed funding for more than 160 duplicate qualifications – and from August this year, it will remove funding for more than 2,200 qualifications which they say are not being taken by anyone each year.The DfE will now review all the other level 3 qualifications to assess whether there is a real need for them to be funded.A spokesperson for the department said: “Great qualifications are essential to helping everyone, regardless of their age or background, to reach their career goals and get good jobs.”“Our reforms will simplify and streamline the current system, ensuring that all qualifications are fit for purpose, are high-quality and lead to good outcomes.”The DfE spokesperson added: “We are putting employers at the heart of the skills system and boosting the quality of qualifications on offer so that all students, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, leave education with the skills employers need.” More

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      in UK Politics

      One in five teachers in more affluent areas say parents have pressured them over exam grades, survey shows

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      Around one in five teachers at schools in wealthier parts of England say parents have pressured them over their child’s exam grades this year, a new survey has revealed.Nearly one in four (23%) of teachers at private schools and 17% at state schools in advantaged areas have been approached or pressured by parents over grades, according to a Sutton Trust report.Just over one in ten (11%) of state school teachers in poorer areas reported being put under pressure, the poll has found.The findings come after teachers in England have now submitted their decisions on pupils’ GCSE and A-level grades for this year. They will be released in two weeks time.It comes after Ofqual last year ditched its algorithm for A-level and GCSE results after large numbers of results were downgraded, prompting fury among pupils, teachers and parents.This summer’s exams were cancelled for the second year in a row due to the pandemic. Grades will be decided by teachers after drawing on a wide range of evidence such as coursework and mock exams.However the report identifies a big variation in the number of assessments being taken by A-level students to determine their grades this summer.Almost two in five (38%) teachers said their pupils were doing three to four “mini-exams” or in-class assessments per subject, according to the survey.But the poll of more than 3,000 teachers in England suggests that 18% reported two or fewer and 18% reported more than six.Also for the research, a poll of more than 400 university applicants suggests that nearly half (47%) believe the pandemic disruption will negatively impact their chance of getting into their first-choice university.A majority of applicants (53%) are worried about being ready to start university this autumn, and around a third (34%) feel unprepared to start university, the survey suggests.Those from a state school (36%) are more than twice as likely to feel unprepared for starting university compared to their independent school peers (17%).Sir Peter Lampl, founder and chairman of the Sutton Trust, said: “This year’s cohort of university applicants have faced almost two years of disrupted education. As we approach results day, it’s vital that poorer students are not disadvantaged by the greater impact of the pandemic on them.“Universities should give additional consideration to disadvantaged students who have just missed out on their offer grades.”Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: “Many teachers have had the additional strain of coping with pressure from parents.“We know these parents think they are doing the best for their children. But it is yet another issue which has added to the stress of an extremely stressful period. And grades are of course based on evidence of student performance rather than whose parents have the sharpest elbows.”Kate Green, Labour’s shadow education secretary, said: “Come results day every pupil must be supported to progress with their education, training or employment, not just the most privileged.“The Conservatives have treated children and young people as an afterthought throughout this pandemic.“Ministers must now urgently set out the support that will be available to pupils, parents and teachers on results day to ensure no young person loses out on future opportunities due to their failed pandemic response.”Dr Michelle Meadows, deputy chief regulator at England’s exams regulator Ofqual, said: “Although exams didn’t take place, students will receive grades so they can move on with their lives.“Those parents who tried to influence teachers’ judgments behaved wrongly.”A Department for Education (DfE) spokeswoman said: “There is no one better placed to judge young people’s abilities than their teachers. Students have only been assessed on what they had been taught, supporting students who may not have had the opportunity to learn as much as they would do in a normal year and meaning that teachers have effectively made their assessments based on every student having their best day.“No teacher should be put under undue pressure and grades are subject to wider internal checks in schools and external checks by exam boards to make sure they are a fair reflection of students’ work.”Additional reporting by PA More

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      in UK Politics

      Mandatory vaccines for students to attend lectures ‘hugely discriminatory’, universities union says

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      Only allowing students who are fully vaccinated against Covid to attend lectures, would be “hugely discriminatory”, a university union has said.It comes amid reports the government is considering introducing such rules for students, as well as only letting those who have received two doses return to university halls. Education minister Vicky Ford refused to rule the measures out on Monday, saying the government had to “consider everything”. But the University and College Union has criticised the idea.Jo Grady, the general secretary, said students should be prioritised for vaccinations to ensure as many as possible have been given the opportunity to get jabbed before the start of the next academic year. “But making vaccinations compulsory as a condition to access their education is wrong and would be hugely discriminatory against those who are unable to be vaccinated, and international students,” she added. “Sadly, this looks and smells like a prime minister trying to pin the blame on students for not yet taking up a vaccine they haven’t been prioritised to receive.” Ms Grady urged the prime minister to work with the NHS and universities to “enable and sensitively encourage student vaccination” instead of restorting to mandatory vaccination rules. The government has been approached for comment.The Times reported on Monday that Boris Johnson had suggested compulsory jabs for students to attend lectures and live in halls in order to help drive up the rates of young people taking up the vaccine.The prime minister made the suggestion, subject to medical exemptions, during a virtual meeting from his isolation at Chequers, according to the newspaper. It added Mr Johnson was “raging” over comparatively low jab take-up in younger age groups and was considering the move in an attempt to boost vaccination rates.On Monday, Downing Street did not deny reports that students would need to be fully vaccinated to attend lectures.“You have heard what the PM has said before, specifically that the pandemic is not over,” a No 10 spokesperson said. “We are still looking at the scope for vaccination certifications.”Vicky Ford, the minister for children, was repeatedly asked about the potential policy for students on Monday morning.Although she initially answered “no” when asked about the plans on Sky News, before stressing the need to prioritise education, she did not take the opportunity to rule the policy out later on.She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Obviously, I can’t comment on things that haven’t been announced. But one does need to look at every practicality to make sure that we can get students back safely and make sure that we can continue to prioritise education.”Munira Wilson, the Liberal Democrat’s spokesperson for health, said it was “completely unacceptable” the government was considering these plans.“While it is crucial every adult who can get vaccinated does get the jab, attempting to withhold face-to-face education from students until they do is crossing a line,” the MP added.Additional reporting by Press Association More

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      in World Politics

      It’s Time to Make India’s Education Good Enough for All

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      The COVID-19 pandemic has detrimentally impacted education systems worldwide. Of the 1.2 billion children that the coronavirus has thrown out of classrooms, at least one-third have no access to remote learning and hence no access to education. The UN estimates that 24 million children will not return to school due to the fallout from the pandemic. Solving the education crisis needs to be a priority for governments.

      India’s Health-Care System Is in Shambles

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      This issue is of particular significance in India, where the pandemic has steeply, and perhaps irreversibly, increased education inequality. Over 1.5 million schools have closed down, depriving 6 million children of basic education. The government has been preoccupied with issues such as the pandemic, the migrant crisis, the farmer protests and state elections. It has failed to focus on education.

      Exacerbated Negatives

      Even as capitalist a country as the United States provides its populace with free public schooling. In contrast, a supposedly socialist India is unable to educate its children. India, currently in its youth-bulge phase, has 600 million citizens under the age of 25. The education of these young people can and should be India’s catalyst for economic, social and political growth. 

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      The socioeconomic benefits of education outweigh its costs. For example, the pervasiveness of child marriage among girls with no education is 30.8% versus 2.4% for girls who have received higher education. Bearing in mind the fact that more than one out of four Indian child brides become teenage mothers, providing girls with education could help solve the problem of child marriage, which would subsequently combat teenage pregnancy and high infant mortality rates. Education could also reduce the rampancy of child labor while also reducing rates of preventable diseases. 

      Unfortunately, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE) and India’s new education policy have no provision for dealing with the current crisis. Its Constitution declares India to be a “sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic.” Many politicians claim to be socialists. Yet the pandemic has proven that socialism is merely an empty slogan in India. Health and education are highly privatized. Citizens have to pay for basic treatments and for half-decent schools.

      The education system had many issues long before COVID-19 made matters worse. The pandemic has only exacerbated the negatives. The RTE had noble intentions but mixed results. India needs a modern education system that expands both the minds of the young and the arc of their opportunities. The pandemic has been terrible for students, but it provides a great opportunity for reform. It remains to be seen if the government will grasp the opportunity.

      Legislating Education

      Under the current legislation, both the central government in Delhi and the state governments individually can pass laws concerning education. Generally, schools are administered by the state departments of education, while the central government dictates overall guidelines and policy. The Ministry of Human Resource Development oversees the education and literacy of the entire country, conducted in three types of schools: private unaided, private aided, and government-funded and government-run public schools. According to data from the Indian Education Ministry, 75% of all schools are government-owned, responsible for the education of approximately 65% of all school students, or 113 million, across 20 states.  

      According to Oxfam India, 80% of students in government schools have received no education since the pandemic began. Furthermore, despite the government broadcasting certain classes on television, many students have been unable to access them because they lack basic infrastructure at home. Over 200 million Indians do not own a television, phone or radio. Additionally, this method of teaching and learning is not interactive, with students finding it difficult to grasp the material.

      While poor government schools remain closed, private schools have adapted to virtual learning. However, only 23% of all Indian households have access to a computer. This figure drops to only 4% among the rural population. Rural areas in particular are struggling with the fallout from the pandemic such as the migrant crisis and rampant unemployment, so education ranks low on local governments’ priority lists.

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      To make matters worse, the closing of schools in early 2020 translated to the effective cancellation of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme that provided 116 million schoolchildren with hot meals. The central government has drafted guidelines for states and union territories to supply cooked meals or food-security allowances to schoolchildren. However, it is clear that various municipalities have failed to implement these guidelines. For instance, Bihar took 44.6 million tons of grains from the central government in 2019 to feed schoolchildren; in 2020, this figure dropped to zero. Children are not only missing out on education but also on nutrients. This is reversing years of progress that India had made in combating malnutrition. It is well known that malnutrition hinders intellectual development and can lead to poor academic performance, disease and even death. Children in poor families now face an increased risk of malnutrition as the gap between them and their more prosperous counterparts increases by the day.

      But even children from more affluent families are struggling to cope with online learning. Depression and anxiety are on the rise. In India, board examinations — the final set of tests for students graduating from high school — have been canceled. This has left millions of students worrying about their future. 

      Misguided Provisions

      One of the key problems with the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act is that it is poorly drafted. It is unclear and repetitive. According to the District Information System of Education, as of 2016, only 13% of all Indian schools achieved compliance with RTE norms. As a national act, the RTE establishes certain parameters, procedures and standards for both private and public schools to follow. It places a primary emphasis on the idea of education for all by dictating that every child between the ages of six and 14 must be eligible to receive free education. However, Indian children are still struggling to obtain the education promised to them.

      The most adversely affected are the children living in rural areas who make up 73% of Indian youth. About 90% of the facilities in these districts are government-run public schools that struggle with untrained teachers and poor infrastructure, failing to meet the standards set by the RTE. Schools that do not follow these standards are forced to shut down. In many cases, these schools are the only option available.

      According to the India School Closure Report published by Centre for Civil Society in India, between April 2015 to March 2018, 2,469 schools were closed in 14 states due to RTE non-compliance, while 4,482 were threatened with closure and a further 13,546 were served closure notices. In line with Luis Miranda’s analysis for Forbes India, if we assume an average of 200 students per institution in Punjab, the closure of 1,170 schools there as of August 2015 amounted to 234,000 students being unable to attend a school of their choice or to receive an education at all in just one state.

      For several states, data on the extent of school closures remain missing. As of 2016, total enrolment in public schools was only 1% higher for elementary schools and 2% higher for secondary schools compared to 2000. Data from 2016 reveal that enrolment decreased in states such as Madhya Pradesh, Assam and West Bengal.

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      The RTE has misguided provisions that may be well-meaning but are highly damaging. The act mandates a 25% quota to be reserved at the entry-level of educational institutions for students from economically weaker sections and disadvantaged groups. The law states that the central government must reimburse schools for the costs incurred due to the quota by either paying schools’ per-child expenses or the fees charged, whichever is lower.

      However, this provision has been implemented unevenly. In 2013-14, Madhya Pradesh filled 88.2% of the 25% quota and Rajasthan filled 69.3%, while states like Uttar Pradesh managed only 3.62% and Andhra Pradesh just 0.21%. Furthermore, corruption under the quota provision is also rampant. Parents often issue fraudulent income certificates to qualify under the quota, and schools do not oppose bribery as they favor students from affluent families. When wealthy private schools try to integrate economically weaker students, existing students often withdraw their admission due to a broad physical, infrastructural and cultural chasm between the classes. In India, there is still a stigma around studying with someone from a vastly differing economic background. 

      Adding Insult to Injury

      There is another problem with the quota system for economically underprivileged children. The central government is supposed to reimburse state governments who fund schools for filling their quota. Unfortunately, there is no methodology for this. The central government decides on an ad hoc basis what any state is supposed to get. For example, in India’s most populous state of Uttar Pradesh, expenditure per child per year is 3,064 rupees, or approximately $41. However, the central government gives this state of 236 million people only 450 rupees, or around $6, for every poor child. Naturally, schools have little incentive to fill their quota for economically underprivileged children, meaning that a mere 3.62% of the seats are filled. 

      More significantly, the RTE has failed to address the fundamental issue of the lack of quality in Indian education. According to the 2018 “Annual Status of Education Report,” 55% of fifth graders in public schools could not read a second-grade textbook. The quality of teachers tends to be poor. Their pedagogies are almost invariably outdated. Teachers often lack motivation and training. In 2015-16, 512,000 teachers — or one in six — in elementary government schools were untrained.

      One nationwide survey revealed a teacher absentee rate of 23.6% in rural areas. In states like Uttar Pradesh, teachers are hired by paying bribes. Often, they are barely literate. When teachers are qualified, they often run private coaching businesses instead of teaching in the schools. 

      To add insult to injury, untrained teachers use curricula that have little relevance to the lives of poor schoolchildren. They champion rote-based learning and, more often than not, destroy creativity. Many schools lack proper buildings, decent roofs and proper toilet facilities, especially for girls. Blackboards, basic learning aids and even chalk can run short. In 2018-19, only 28% of all government schools had computers and only 12% had an internet connection. Despite the government campaigning for a digital India, it has done little to provide computers and internet connectivity to schools across the country.

      Time for Reform

      As of 2020, India spent just 3.1% of its GDP on education. Importantly, every national policy since 1968 has recommended a figure of 6%. Other developing countries such as South Africa and Brazil spend 6.5% and 6.3% respectively. The government of India could start with emulating its BRICS counterparts in increasing the amount it spends on rearing the next generation.

      Even the little amount India spends on education often does not reach schoolchildren, the intended beneficiaries of the system. Like all aspects of Indian life, corruption causes much harm to the most vulnerable of the country’s citizens. The upper and middle classes almost invariably send their children to private schools, as do officials in charge of drafting India’s education policy. It is only the children of the poor who end up in government education, with parents having little knowledge or influence to demand either accountability or quality.

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      Officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) preside over all ministries in India from finance and industry to culture and education. These IAS officers have little if any experience in education. These officers often spend their time trying to get postings to departments with more power and greater opportunities for corruption. They have little incentive to reform the broken system either at the level of the state or national government. Politicians see little gain from focusing on education either. They are always too busy with the next election.

      India’s citizens have to demand better use of their taxpayer money. The best use of that money in the long term is investment in education, not only in as funding but also good policymaking. Politicians must entrust this policy to educationists, not IAS officers. In the past, India’s great institutions were set up by the likes of Rabindranath Tagore, Madan Mohan Malaviya and Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, not faceless bureaucrats.

      India needs educational reform now more than ever. The pandemic has been devastating for hundreds of millions of students. If the government fails to act now, India will become an even more unequal and divided nation than it is today. Without high-quality mass education, the country will never have the skill or the knowledge base to be a truly dynamic economy. India’s government schools need to be good enough for the children of top politicians, not just for its poor downtrodden masses. 

      The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observer’s editorial policy. More

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      in UK Politics

      School bubbles to end and in-house teaching to remain at universities, Gavin Williamson confirms

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      The school bubble system is to be dropped and in-person teaching will remain at universities, Gavin Williamson has confirmed. The education secretary said the bubble system – which has kept pupils and teachings in groups to minimise mixing amid the Covid pandemic – and isolation is “causing disruption to many children’s education”. On Tuesday the government reported that levels of school absence linked to Covid-19 was at its highest level since March.More than eight per cent of state school pupils in England did not attend school last Thursday due to Covid-related reasons, including for confirmed Covid cases and being identified as a close contact. Concerns have been raised in recent weeks about the interpretation of rules which have resulted in large groups of pupils being sent home for 10 days if another pupil in their bubble tests positive for Covid-19.Mr Williamson told parliament on Tuesday that “key restrictions” would be dropped for schools from Step 4 of England’s roadmap out of lockdown, which is planned for 19 July. “Though keeping children in consistent groups was essential to control the spread of the virus when our population was less vaccinated, we recognise that the system of bubbles and isolation is causing disruption to many children’s education,” the education secretary said.“That is why we’ll be ending bubbles and transferring contact tracing to NHS test and trace system for early years settings, schools and colleges.”Geoff Barton from the Association for School and College Leaders (ASCL) said the scrapping of the bubbles system “should remove some of the current barriers to offering children and young people a full timetable of lessons and return school life to something which seems much more normal”. Mr Williamson also told MPs also said there would be “no restrictions on in-person teaching and learning in universities” unless students are told to self-isolate or affected by local outbreaks.But some universities have already confirmed they will be offering blended learning – a mix of online and in-person teaching – at the start of the next academic year.Mr Williamson told MPs on Tuesday: “I do not think it is acceptable that children should face greater restrictions over and above those of wider society, especially since they have given up so much to keep older generations safe during this pandemic.”As well as scrapping bubbles and schools having to do contact tracing themselves, the education secretary said another change would be children only needing to isolate after a positive Covid test, which would come into force from 16 August.Mr Barton from ASCL said this would “remove the main reason for current Covid-related pupil absence”. New government figures show around 561,000 children in England were self-isolating last Thursday due to possible contact with a Covid-19 case. This was on top of 34,000 pupils out of school with a suspected Covid case and 28,000 with a confirmed Covid infection.Around 8.5 per cent state school pupils did not attend class for Covid-19-related reasons on 1 July – up from 5.1 per cent from the week before, which was the highest level since March before being overtaken by the latest figures. Nick Brook from the school leaders’ union NAHT, said the latest figures “make for grim reading” and show the “huge impact” the highly contagious Delta variant of Covid is having on schools. “Whilst the government might argue that scrapping bubbles and changing rules around self-isolation will reduce the number of pupils missing education, we should be equally worried about the significant rise we have seen in confirmed and suspected cases in a single week,” the union’s deputy general secretary said. Speaking about the changes announced by Mr Williamson, Mr Brook said:“No school leader wants to have restrictions in place any longer than are needed, but there will be a sense of real concern amongst many that the worsening situation they see before their eyes is at odds with the government’s narrative of relaxation and return to normality.”“Schools have seen a near doubling of children contracting Covid-19, with 28,000 confirmed cases reported in the last week alone. “He added: “School leaders and parents alike will want more reassurance than has been given so far that removal of restrictions are supported by scientific evidence, not driven by political convenience.” More