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The National Coalition on the Education Emergency (NCEE) continued its work to 'resume' and 'renew' school education. Articles in the print media, social media campaigns, press releases and meetings with bureaucrats, protests, helped to keep the pressure on state governments for opening schools. The voice of NCEE was a useful counter to apprehensions about opening schools, and most states have opened schools over the last month.
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The coalition's publication A FUTURE AT STAKE was released on November 2nd by Padmashree Smt. Shantha Sinha. The publication identifies and discusses specific steps that need to be taken by the national and state education systems, schools, teachers, parents and communities, in order to respond to the education emergency and to save the future of our children. It was widely reported in the national, Hindi and Malayalam press.
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The Education Emergency Policy Tracker and research briefs have been widely circulated. Several survey tools have been developed (for parents, teachers, school leaders) and the method of data collection and analysis tested. Karnataka is the first state where we have done these short surveys.
The immediate actions for the NCEE include sharing the ‘A Future at Stake’ with interested governments, continuing interactions with Tamil Nadu and Karnataka governments, developing detailed guidelines for early childhood and foundational learning, creating and sharing curricular resources for schools and communities. Expanding the Policy tracker to analyze education budgets, conducting quick surveys to capture ground realities, releasing research briefs, continuing outreach to media, including local language media, and holding a meeting of expanded coalition are also planned.
The NCEE continued its work through the three working groups – Social Mobilization, Education Support and Research.
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Social Mobilization
Consultation with Governments: Members of the NCEE have been in talks with the Karnataka and Tamil Nadu governments to recommend guidelines and steps that can become part of the school opening planning and decision making of the education departments. Work is underway to reach out to other governments as well to build awareness of the education emergency and provide suitable responses to the same.
The coalition has held meetings with organizations and individuals in Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Telangana and efforts are being made in other states as well. We are explaining the work of the NCEE and the importance of focus on a meaningful education recovery effort for children from marginalized groups.
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Education support to schools and communities
Resource repository: Additional resources and tools that are flexible and allow for contextualization are needed for teachers, students, parents and school administrators to support children coming back to school after a very abnormal disruption. The education support group has been compiling different resources with ideas and activities in a manner as to support the acquisition/ re-acquisition of skills of learning – in terms of language abilities, mathematical abilities as well as social skills with an intention to help teachers equip themselves with a flexible repertoire of approaches and resources to respond to children at different levels.
Innovation Models: The work and efforts of different organizations in engaging with children and creating opportunities for learning during the pandemic have been documented as innovative models. The experiences are being compiled to be made available to teachers, volunteers and groups working / planning to work with children in communities as well as in schools.
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Research
Policy Tracker: Policy measures being taken by the state and central governments to address the emergency situation arising out of prolonged school closures in India are being compiled as a Education Emergency Policy Tracker. Policy measures are being tracked using indicators that reflect whether meaningful teaching-learning has resumed in different states, such as school re-opening, supply of mid-day meals, textbooks, adjustment of the syllabus to address learning losses, support to teachers, extra educational support to vulnerable groups and additional funding to address the emergency. The tracker will focus on public education budgets across states, which will be important as governments will soon start the budget preparation for the next fiscal year.
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A point-in-time snapshot of high school opening status in the policy tracker.
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Research Brief: The NCEE on Teachers Day released a Research Brief that summarizes research studies conducted across India and selected international studies between early 2020 and mid 2021. The complete research compendium can be found here. The research findings convey a consistent and grim picture of the catastrophic consequences that continuous school closures and the limited reach of online/remote learning have had for children, on the academic, emotional, nutritional, social, and economic fronts. Read the brief in English Hindi हिंदी and Kannada ಕನ್ನಡ.
TeacherSpeak: A Survey was conducted with high school teachers in Karnataka to get their opinions heard about their students' learning levels and the challenges associated with the reopening of schools. Teachers overwhelmingly reported that students were not at grade level. The report is a warning that resuming grade level textbook teaching prematurely would be harmful.
Family Survey: An ongoing households survey to capture the experiences of parents and students regarding their education during the pandemic and school opening after a disruption of over a year. The survey is being conducted in rural and urban regions of Karnataka and will be conducted in Telangana. The short survey instrument can be translated into different languages. Groups interested in administering the survey in their states can contact the NCEE.
School Heads Survey: This survey is expected to be done regularly and aims to capture inputs from school principals/HMs about the situation on the ground, focusing on the school re-opening process, enrollment of students, teaching-learning challenges, guidelines and support from governments. The tool is ready, and the survey will be launched shortly.
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Report warns of deepening inequalities as schools reopen
The reopening of schools cannot be considered a normal “return to schools”, and lack of a comprehensive approach at this time may deepen the existing education inequality says the National Coalition on the Education Emergency, a group of academics and educationists.
As schools reopen, study warns of deepening divides
“The worst affected are children of the rural and urban poor, migrants, minorities, Dalit, adivasi and other backward communities, many of whose families faced a health and livelihood crisis during the lockdown apart from a lack of educational access.”
The challenge of going back to school
Op-Ed in the Hindu, discussing measures to be taken up on school opening.
Covid, folk psychology and pedagogy viruses
Op-Ed in the Deccan Herald, alerting to the need for educators to communicate the purpose and processes of education clearly to communities, for a larger shared understanding.
Press release: Oct 2021
The NCEE has issued a press release 'Open LPS and start MMS soon' in Karnataka demanding opening of primary schools and anganwadis along with mid-day meals. The release was carried by the Karnataka media, and the state government responded positively by announcing opening of lower primary schools and resumption of the MMS.
Infrastructure worries for govt schools in Karnataka as kids return today
Many schools are in a poor state as some facilities haven’t been used for over 17 months. The National Coalition on the Education Emergency has been seeking an untied grant from the government for developing these schools.
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34,000 children out of school in Karnataka, 6,000 in BBMP limits
Citing health issues, financial crisis and family issues as the three main reasons, the report from Samagra Shikshana Karnataka (SSK) shows that 34,411 children in the state are out of school. This includes children who never enrolled and those who dropped out.
Schools fully open in 22 States, Union Territories
The only States where schools are still completely closed are West Bengal and Manipur. Over 92% of school teachers across the country have been vaccinated, and 86% of non-teaching staff in schools.
Drums, stationery, chocolates: TN students get grand welcome as schools reopen
Schools across Tamil Nadu reopened for offline classes after being closed for a year and a half, for classes 1 to 8, on November 1. Schools decided to give the students a grand and traditional welcome, with Chief Minister Stalin at the forefront in welcoming students to schools.
Notes from Jaipur on How School Closures Impacted Children from Marginalised Communities
A survey carried out in Jaipur's Kathputli Nagar Basti and Hathroi areas has revealed that several children completely forgot what they had learnt before the lockdown was imposed due to COVID-19.
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Research Compendium: A compilation of various research studies on education during the pandemic.
Resource Repository: Curated educational resources contributed by different individuals and organizations to support teachers and students in meeting their learning requirements.
Policy Tracker: The tracker provides information on policy measures being taken by state governments and the Central government to tackle the emergency situation arising out of prolonged school closures in India, among the longest in the world.
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