PUNE: From level IV to level III, Maharashtra has progressed in the performance grading index for 2019-20 academic year as against the previous year, riding on improvements in the governance processes and equality in education.
The state’s progress in three other parameters such as learning outcome and quality, access to education and infrastructure remained unchanged when compared with 2018-19.
The report was released by the Union ministry of education on Sunday.
The assessment of the states was conducted based on five indicators – learning outcomes and quality, access, infrastructure and facilities, equity and governance processes.
The aim of the performance grading index was to pinpoint the gaps, and accordingly prioritize areas for intervention to ensure that the school education system is robust at every level.
At the same time, it is expected to act as a good source of information for best practices followed by states and UTs which can be shared.
Former director of education, Vasant Kalpande, said, “Marginal changes in parameters in the sectors like health, achievements always happen when reviewed periodically.
This is a natural phenomenon and such statistically insignificant differences don’t need to have any specific reason or explanation.” The survey said the governance process parameters had many states score fewer points.
This parameter was an important indicator as it would lead to critical structural reforms in areas ranging from monitoring the attendance of teachers to ensuring a transparent recruitment of teachers and principals.
Headmistress of a civic school in the city, Hema Mane, said, “It is common knowledge that shortage of teachers and principals and administrative staff, lack of regular supervision and inspection, inadequate training of the teachers, timely availability of finances are some of the factors plaguing the education system.
Through the PGI, the shortfalls can be measured objectively and regularly.
This is crucial for taking necessary steps to eliminate the gaps.” The survey report said in the case of learning outcomes, it has been observed that, in general, the scores obtained in the higher standards are less than those in the lower standards.
It is therefore imperative to ensure better interventions at the lower standards as it will have a positive cascading effect at the higher levels.
Indicators like availability of ICT facilities and timely availability of textbooks and uniforms, which are critical inputs for better performance of students and mentioned in the RTE Act, are measured in the infrastructure & facilities domain.
Significant shortfalls in these areas have also been captured by the infrastructure Index.