1. Manthan
Stepping Stones: Enhancing the quality of primary
education
Submitted by –
Team Name – Depod
Institute - IIM Lucknow
Team Members -
Praveen
Anupam Toppo
Shalini Tripathi
Rigden Tshringla
Rajesh Kumar

2. Problem Statement Proposed Solution Implementation Plan Challenges
Top focus should be on the Teachers and Curriculum Blocks for enhancing the Quality of Primary Education
Scope of the Problem : Providing Quality education to 192 million children in 1.1 million habitats
http://www.ssa.nic.in/
Key Stake Holders
Inspections
• Are frequent
checks being
conducted?
• A central panel to
ensure all the
funds and grants
are utilized
properly
Curriculum
• Is the curriculum
Locally designed?
• Are the kids able
to relate the
curriculum to
their everyday
lives
• Rote Learning vs.
Practical
Application
Kids
• ST/SC
• Kids of Migrant
Laborers
• Girl Students
• Kids with Special
Needs ( 32.8
Lakhs)
• Out of school
students vs. Left
Behind students
Teachers
• Are the Teachers
properly trained
• Selection Criteria
for the same
• Are we tapping in
the potential
teacher pool?
• PTR ratio
Environment
• Availability of
proper Sanitation
• Availability of
Drinking Water
• Are Mid day
Meals provided
Focus
Priority to
Enhance
Quality
Secondary Primary Focus Secondary Primary Focus Secondary
Quality Education is the most powerful tool of Empowerment
Secondary focus – Because already a lot of progress is being made in these fronts

3. to 51.8% in 2011 and further to 53.2% in 2012
Major Problem – The “Out of School” vs. the “Left Behind” children Dilemma
• 46.3% of all children in Std. V could not read a Std. II level text .
• This proportion further increased to 53.2% in 2012
• More than half of all children in Std. V are at least three grade levels behind
where they should be
• More than 60% of Std 5 children could not solve a simple division sum in 2012
• 75% of the children could not do a simple division sum in Std. V
• The percentage of all children enrolled in Std. III who cannot read a Std. I level
text was 61.3% in 2012.
Who are they
Facts
• Nationally, the proportion of children (age 6 to 14) who are not
enrolled in school was at 3.3% in 2011
• This stood at 3.5% in 2012
• Drop out rate at 2.75%
• While the aim might be universal education, we see that
the scenario of those attending school is rather bleak and
needs to be given a higher priority
Out Of School Left Behind
1. Child Labours
2. Kids put to begging
3. No exposure to Education
1. Kids enrolled in Schools at various levels
2. But are far behind when compared to peers of
the same age / Standard
The “Left Behind” Segment should be the focus, for which the right Teacher and the Right Curriculum become the Priority
Facts
Who are they
Problem Statement Proposed Solution Implementation Plan Challenges

4. Quality Teachers are the Stepping stones to Enhancing Quality Education
Current State of our Teachers and System
There are 5.23 lakh teacher vacancies at the elementary level. 7.74
lakh teachers already working in the school system are untrained
Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, J&K, Jharkhand, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and
West Bengal together account for 6.06 lakh untrained teachers and
9.73 lakh teacher vacancies.
The training of school teachers is extremely inadequate and also
poorly managed
In many states the administration of DIETs is left to bureaucrats who
view this as a punishment posting and no pedagogical experience
High absenteeism rates
In a number of states, funds under various schemes (SSA, EGS and
AIE) were used to create “Education Centres” (Shiksha Kendras)
rather than proper schools. These typically involve “teachers” who are
essentially local women who have just passed Class VIII (or even
Class V in some cases) and are paid between Rs. 1000 to Rs. 3000 per
month in the different states. They typically receive no training or a 2-
week training at best, and may have to teach multi-grade classes often
in single rooms
The dignity of school teaching as a profession must be restored, many
still perceive it as a punishment posting
Only 45% teachers were both in school and involved in active teaching
(the percentage was less than 25% in some states) Other present teachers
were involved in a range of ‘non-teaching’ activities
Problem Statement Proposed Solution Implementation Plan Challenges

5. • Para Teachers to be eventually faced out
• Identify Mandatory Teaching Blocks where a teaching stint can be made compulsory
• Rope in PSUs to provide jobs quotas for unemployed graduates who undergo a teaching stint for
a set period of time
• Enlist help of NGOs to provide recruit potential teachers
Revamp the existing
Curriculum Model
Tap into existing
Potential Teacher Pool
Decentralize Hiring /
Empower one entity
for Training
• Hiring to be made Decentralized, done by Zilla Parishad on criteria + Gram Panchayat
• As of now too many training entities have been created, each with its own standards and
training with no coordination. Make one entity overlook the training procedure
• Stricter regulations to be put in place, to ensure that no untrained teacher is allowed to teach
• Post training Assessments to ensure the teacher is fit to teach the kids
• Computer training to help them utilize the ITC based curriculum to the fullest
• Create a National Knowledge Network based on the recommendations of NKC, that would have
all the courses, tips and suggestions which the teachers can utilize
• Enlist select NGOs and organizations to help with the curriculum
• Try to implement the CAL Model that was used by Pratham successfully on a large scale
• Leverage collective participation of Local communities in the curriculum formation to make the
kids be able to relate the study to their everyday lives
Problem Statement Proposed Solution Implementation Plan Challenges

6. Old Curriculum Proposed
RTE act clearly say -It is important for all to adhere to a policy of achieving basic learning outcomes rather than "completing the syllabus"
• ICT aided Technology Enabled learning – Replicate the CAL Model by Pratham
• Inculcate habit of Questioning and to encourage out of the box thinking
• Teachers play a role of motivators / mentors and not just that of a rote aider
• English be included early on as receptivity is maximum at primary level
• Dynamic Assessment model to continuously test the competency level of the kids
• Simple yet substantial goals should be set each year – High Achievement – Low
Quantity model
• Development of strong ‘reading with comprehension’ skills should be a priority
• Focus on holistic development and not just literacy rate
• The course books should have Practical examples, include several games that would
make it fun for the kids and be something the children can relate to their everyday
life
• Repetition rate of only 5.08% which is in total
contrast with the figures of students lagging
behind. Clearly showing the current trend is
skewed more on showing great figures and not
quality education
• There is no uniformity in the structure of
elementary education cycle and few states still
follow a seven year elementary education cycle
• No separate education system for kids
with special needs – 32.68 Lakhs of them
• Emphasis is more on Rote Learning and not
on the Practical applications of the same
RecommendationsbasedonextensiveSecondaryResearch
Problem Statement Proposed Solution Implementation Plan Challenges

7. Reservoir of Teachers that can be tapped into
Unemployed Under Graduates Compulsory Teaching Blocks NGOs
Tap into existing CTET
candidates
• 10 Lakh unemployed Graduates in India at
present
• Provide them with incentives to teach for
a period of years to avail benefits in
various avenues
• After a 1 year stint, they can be given a
chance to interview with the PSUs that
are a part of SAA as their CSR initiative
Mandatory teaching blocks need to be
identified –
• Civil Services Employees/ Government jobs and
PSUs block form around a vacancy of 80,000
each year. Mandatory teaching a part of initial
probationary rural stint
• Can be made compulsory as a part of the
curriculum for Government colleges
• Newly hired employees of PSUs which already
have CSR tie ups with SSA, can be made to
teach for a 1 year stint
• Leverage NGOs to hire and train
teachers who would then be
deployed to teach.
• The teachers can be even tapped
from Old age homes who would
want to teach
• NGOs that handle specially abled
kids can provide teachers who
would be adept at dealing with kids
having special needs
Tap into the existing potential teachers who already have the pre-requisite skill
Problem Statement Proposed Solution Implementation Plan Challenges

8. Online
NGOs
National
Knowledge
Network
Database
(contain courses, tips and
activities that can be used
by teachers)
Private
School
Teacher
British
Council
HeyMath
MAD
NKC
Leverage Collective
Participation of
Local Communities
(Zila Parishad and Block
Panchayat Level)
Teacher
Course
Providers
Pilot Test Results
Media-Pro
Primary Kids
Localized examples that
students can relate to
their everyday lives
State
Education
Board
Evaluation
Create local
PTAs
(studies show-involving
parents increases students
performance)
SMCs
NTS
(national testing service)
CAL program has a strong effect on math
scores ( 0.35 standard deviations in the first
year (year 2), and 0.47 standard deviations in
the second year (year 3))
Collaboration to
decide Curriculum
for each State
Anushruti
For specially
challenged kids
ICT Enabled
CAL Model
For certification of
language competence
Term
Evaluations
Kids would be
tested on basis of
their competencies
Continuous
evaluation to be
done by school itself
Offline
Localized
Course Books
Continuous
Guidance
&Query
resolution
Provideofflinesupporttoteachers
The National Database would also facilitate
distant online training for teachers at remote
locations
National Curriculum Revamped Map
Problem Statement Proposed Solution Implementation Plan Challenges

9. RecruitmentAwareness
• Leverage Social Media to spread the
word online and at same time
conduct sufficient offline awareness
building as well
• Conduct workshops in Colleges to
show the importance of teaching
• Radio and Newspapers to make
prospective teachers aware of the
scheme
• PSUs that are already a part of SSA
can include teaching programme as
part of the CSR initiative
• Bottom’s Up Criteria : Performance
review and recommendation by GP/SMC,
Peer Contribution
• Decentralization by enabling Zilla
parishads and Gram Panchayats to
recommend locally available prospective
teachers for training
• All data to be mapped to a National
Teachers Network Database
• Recruitment can be through online
mode, through NGO, through District
offices and through Mandatory Teaching
Blocks
Assessment/ Training
• Assessment mandatory prior and after the
training. A teacher who fails the test prior
training would not be allowed to teach
• Cafeteria training model – where teachers
can opt for the required session rather than
going through the entire module –
Applicable to those teachers who have
already been teaching
• Mandatory pre service training for newly
inducted teachers.
• Distant online learning for teachers in
remote locations
• Enlist retired teachers and personnels to
impart training
• Single Training module and assessment
standards should be used throughout
Problem Statement Proposed Solution Implementation Plan Challenges

10. Online
Mapping
DIET
NGOs
National
Teachers
Network
Database
(would contain data of
every teacher enrolled
and their background)
Pratham
TeachForIndia.org
Training
Pilot Test
Results
MAD
Hiring
ZPs or GPs
(Zilla or group panchayats)
Evaluation
33% are
Para-
Teachers
Recommendations done from
locally capable teachers
(Decentralizing)
In Vadodara, in the first year, the difference in post-
test scores between treatment and comparison
groups was 0.18 standard deviations for math and
0.13 for language. The measured effect is larger in the
second year, at 0.40 for math and 0.29 for language.
SK
(Shiksha karmis)
Associate
(Adhyapak Teachers)
Masters
(Madhya Adhyapak)
SCERT
Balsakhi Model
Mandatory Teaching
Blocks
Government College
Grads
Fresh Recruits
in PSUs
Civil
Servants
Eventually get
rid of this
SIEMAT
CTE
BITE
Initial hiring into a pool of
available teachers by ZP
on technical criteria
(Apprentice Period)
Bottoms Up Criteria: Decentralization Focus
Performance review and recommendation by GP/SMC, Peer
Contribution
Greater permanence
at end of apprentice
period based on
comprehensive
evaluation
Government
Training Centers
Regular Teachers
PTAsSMCsPTR
Level
PromotionTransition
Training Module is decided by one
entity and is followed across, same
evaluation standards are also used
across
National Teacher Recruitment / Hiring / Evaluation Map
Problem Statement Proposed Solution Implementation Plan Challenges

11. Problem Statement Proposed Solution Implementation Plan Challenges
Social
•Making Teaching mandatory might have some resistance initially from
the groups
•Resistance might also be seen in the Assessment policy, as many might
believe they are capable to teach and yet may not pass the test
Political
•Might decide to Prioritize other Blocks rather than Curriculum or
Quality Teachers
•Discontinuity when power changes happen at Government
•Extensive coordination is required, and the plan shouldn’t be altered
with each ruling government
Economical
•Funding required for the project might have backlogs
•Delay in sanctioning of funds may hamper the progress

12. References
• http://www.careers360.com/news/3448-1-71-lakh-Govt-PSU-jobs-up-for-grabs
• http://www.teindia.nic.in/Articles.aspx
• http://www.teindia.nic.in/Files/Articles/Articles_23feb12/pritchett_pande_decentralization_education_i
ndia.pdf
• http://ssa.nic.in/page_portletlinks?foldername=pedagogy
• http://mhrd.gov.in/policy_initiatives
• http://www.knowledgecommission.gov.in/reports/
• www.asercentre.org/education/India/status/p/143.html
• http://www.knowledgecommission.gov.in/focus/school.asp
• indiancag.org/manthan/resources
• 9thPlanWG
• Analysis of Pratham initiatives - Banerjee_et-al_Remedying Education Evidence
• Decentralization as a remedy to Primary Education - pritchett_pande_decentralization_education_india