Prepping the next gen | Unusual Suspects

Various governmental, as well as non-governmental surveys, indicate that we are currently in a learning crisis: an estimated number of five crore students have not attained foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN), the ability to read and comprehend basic text and the ability to carry out basic addition and subtraction.

This is a piece of statistics that demonstrates the enormity of the problem.  How do you make sure that children acquire these skills by spending time in schools? What role can preschools play in this? How big is the organised market for preschool/childcare in India? How rapidly is it growing? What are the challenges that parents face in India while choosing a daycare or a preschool?

Having broadly achieved the goal of universal enrolment at the primary level, focus now needs to decisively shift towards turning schooling into an outcome-based learning process, rather than a purely attendance-driven activity. In a country like India, how can we achieve this?

Is there a case to radically shift the pedagogical approach that favours simplifying the curriculum, placing the onus also on the teachers through outcome-based goals that can be monitored, and letting children set their own pace of learning? Tune in to find out.