Around 78 per cent of parents of girls and 82 per cent of parents of boys desire to educate their children to graduation level and above, a study conducted by the Development Intelligence Unit (DIU) has revealed. The study in collaboration with Transform Rural India and Sambodhi Research and Communications Pvt. Ltd was focused on 6 to 16-year-old children in rural communities across 20 states in India.
During the India Rural Colloquy 2023 (IRC) held at the India Habitat Centre in Delhi on August 8, the report titled 'State of elementary education in Rural India– 2023' was formally unveiled by Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister of Education.
Here Are The Important Points From The Survey
Dropped-Out Or Out-Of-School Children:
- The survey included responses from 6,229 parents. The survey revealed, out of the total dropped-out children, around one-fourth of male children discontinued their education during primary schooling.
- Comparatively, the dropout rate at that stage was higher for female children, reaching 35 per cent. A higher proportion of both boys and girls dropped out of school after completing primary school education (75 per cent for boys and 65 per cent for girls).
- According to the report, the Non-availability of schools with higher sections within the village or nearby villages might have been a reason why these children dropped out after the completion of the primary sections
Encouraging Participation In Studies:
– According to the survey, a majority of children (62.5 per cent) are under the supervision of their mothers when it comes to their studies, while 49 per cent are supervised by their fathers.
- Over 38 per cent of parents opt for private tutors to further enhance their children's education.
- 25.6 per cent of the children study under the guidance of an elder sibling
- 3.8 per cent are supervised by Anganwadi workers, and 7.6 per cent are taught by community teachers.
- About 26 per cent of the children study under the supervision of a private tutor
Increased Access To Smartphones:
- Overall, nearly 73 per cent of children utilise smartphones for less than two hours daily.
- Older children tend to spend more time on their phones, with 25.4 per cent of children in class 8 and above dedicating two to four hours, in contrast to 16.8 per cent of children in classes 1 to 3