AN INVITATION TO JOIN ASER
The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) is a unique large scale effort undertaken by citizens of India each year to understand and to help in improving the status of elementary education in the country.
The ASER 2007 team appeals to individuals, organizations, institutions, and businesses to join this national effort to create this year’s Annual Status of Education Report (ASER). YOU CAN:
• Participate in the survey
• Support the effort with funds
• Spread awareness about ASER
UNIVERSAL ELEMENTARY EDUCATION & ASER :
India has almost 200 million children (age group 6 to 14) living in over 1 million habitations. As a country one of our major goals in this decade to ensure that all these children are enrolled in school, attending regularly and learning. Government of India has launched Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan - a massive nation-wide program to ensure that this happens by 2010. To support this ambitious plan, since 2004, every Indian citizen also pays a 2% education cess.
As citizens of India, every year. it is important that we “take stock” and assess how far we have come and how far we still have to go in order to reach the 2010 goals. ASER – the Annual Status of Education Report is the nation-wide effort by citizens to take stock of the situation and plan ahead.
HOW IS ASER CARRIED OUT?
ASER is the largest and uniquely participative household survey on elementary education in India ever done by people outside the government. It is facilitated by Pratham and is executed by local groups in each district. ASER is funded by contributions from institutions and individuals. In 2006, ASER reached over 700,000 children in 15,000 villages in 556 rural districts in India. More than 25,000 volunteers from NGOs, colleges and universities, youth and women groups participated in this effort. Since 2005, each year, the entire ASER effort from start to finish takes only 100 days.
WHAT DID ASER 2006 FIND ?
The national picture ……..
Are all children (6-14) in school ?
Very high percentage (93.2%) of children (age 6 to 14) are enrolled in school.
But amongst girls (age 11 -14 ), several states have between 10% to 20% girls out of school.
Are all children (6-14) able to read ?
In Std I, almost half of all children are unable to read alphabets.
In Std III, almost half of all children are unable to read Std I level text.
In Std V, almost half of all children are unable to read Std II level text.
Are all children (6-14) able to do basic arithmetic?
In Std I & II, almost half of all children are unable to recognize numbers.
In Std III & IV, almost half of all children are unable to subtract (with borrowing).
In Std V, almost half of all children are unable to divide (3 digits by 1 digit).
WHAT WILL BE DONE IN ASER 2007?
ASER is an annual effort. It will go on until December 2010 – the deadline for achieving quality universal elementary education as declared by Government of India. As in past years, the attempt in 2007 will be to cover all rural districts in the country. This year, we will look at the following aspects of learning: basic reading and comprehension, basic arithmetic and ability to read and understand easy English. In ASER 2007, like in 2005, we will visit government schools. In the school we will observe things like mid day meal, school infrastructure, student and teacher attendance and availability of teaching and learning materials.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE IMPACT OF ASER?
Over the last two years, ASER has created major national policy impact by bringing the issue of basic learning in the centre of discussions on elementary education. The national release, in Delhi in both years was done by Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, and was followed by many meetings at state and district levels across the country with government officials and citizens’ groups to discuss the ASER 2006 findings and debate the next steps. There has been considerable media coverage too.
ASER has become an important policy input at the national level. It is referred to in the Planning Commission’s Approach Paper to the 11th Five Year Plan 2007-12. ASER 2006 report was also presented to the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh.With the release of ASER 2006, Pratham launched the ‘Read India Campaign’. It is a people’s initiative to ensure improvement in basic learning and arithmetic levels of all children in the age group of 6 to 14. In each state, the campaign will be implemented in a phased manner by working with governments. The campaign also seeks to involves volunteers in each village.
Read India campaign will follow a set time table so that by March 2009, the goals of the campaign can be achieved.
ASER IS YOUR INSTRUMENT TO MAKE YOUR RESOURCES WORK BETTER FOR EDUCATING THE CHILDREN OF INDIA.
ACT NOW. COME JOIN THE NATIONAL ASER EFFORT
On average, the cost of visiting one village, is Rs 500. The entire cost of doing ASER in
one district is Rs 30,000 (or $750). We welcome support for one or more villages, as well as for one or more districts. ASER will be in the field between September 2007 to November 2007. ASER timetables are available in each state.
Cheques/Demand drafts for ASER to be drawn in favor of
“Pratham Mumbai Education Initiative”
CONTACT ASER 2007 TEAM
Phone: 011-2671-6083/84
Email: aser@pratham.org
Address :
Pratham Resource Centre
A 1/7 Safdarjang Enclave, New Delhi 110029
ASER 2005 & ASER 2006 REPORTS in full detail are available on www.pratham.org.
WITHOUT A STRONG FOUNDATION,
WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO READ FLUENTLY
AND THE ABILITY TO DO BASIC ARITHMETIC,
CHILDREN CANNOT PROGRESS FURTHER.
WE NEED TO CHANGE THIS NOW!
Source: http://www.pratham.org/aser07/ASER2007_appeal.pdf
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Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
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