While the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER 2023) highlighted significant learning gaps among rural teens aged 14 to 18 across India, Kerala stood out as an exception with its teens excelling in various key parameters. The survey, conducted by NGO Pratham, covered teens in 28 districts across 26 states, with Ernakulam chosen as the district in Kerala. Kerala topped the national chart in terms of teens who could read sentences in English, with an impressive 95% proficiency, compared to the national average of 57%.
In terms of reading a class-II level text fluently in their regional language, only 14% of students in Kerala fell into this category, while the national average was one-third. Additionally, Kerala performed well in mathematical ability, with 57% of surveyed teens able to carry out tasks like division, surpassing the national average of 43%. The state also showcased financial literacy, with over 73% of surveyed teens in Kerala able to manage budgets, 43% applying discounts, and 23% calculating repayments, outperforming national averages.
Notably, 99.5% of Kerala’s surveyed teens reported having a smartphone at home, exceeding the national average of 89%. Kerala also led in teens who could bring a smartphone for the survey to carry out digital tasks prescribed, with 90.3%, compared to the national average of 67.1%. Kerala’s teens excelled in various digital tasks, topping the national chart in finding and sharing specific videos on YouTube, with over 90% performing these tasks with ease. Despite these educational achievements, the survey revealed that only 3.2% of Kerala’s teens were enrolled in vocational training, below the national average of 5.6%. Additionally, only 4% of teens in the state worked for 15 or more days (excluding household work), compared to the national average of 34%.
Post Your Comments