Improving Quality of Education
Eradicating the enormous disparities in access to education, closing the education gap and fostering inclusion is vital for building a fair, just and resilient nation. Education is a powerful tool for alleviating poverty and unemployment, a basic human right, imperative for sustainable development both for the individual and society. Literacy rate and access to education have been crucial indicators of development. The extent of development and poverty alleviation of the underprivileged communities is largely predicated over whether they have access to quality education. It would not be an exaggeration to suggest that the attention of the 21st century India must be focussed on mass education as a means for nation-building.
There is empirical evidence to demonstrate the crucial role of education in preparing a person to earn a livelihood —the only means to break the cycle of poverty. The noble laureate Amartya Sen has argued that while “not to be able to read or write or count, or communicate, is tremendous deprivation”, the significant role of Education—both as an indicator and a tool for development—has been identified as the primary determinant of economic growth. Thus, the role of basic education in enabling people to secure jobs and gainful employment has been correctly recognised. There is a close relationship between educational empowerment and economic development. This connection, has assumed greater significance in today’s globalised world.
Education has emerged as a tool that enables self-reliance, economic growth, and improvement in people’s lives by opening up opportunities for employment. In order to achieve the larger goal of sustainable development in India, imparting quality education becomes the prime focus. With SDG-4 and the New Education Policy being implemented , significant progress had been made in universalising primary education, with improvement in the enrolment and completion rates both at primary and elementary school level. Furthermore, India is moving towards providing access to quality education from early childhood.
Pre primary education, will ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality, technical, vocational and tertiary, including university education. It will eliminate gender disparities and ensure equal access at all levels of education and vocational training for the underprivileged and create a safe and inclusive learning environment.
Thus, aligning major goals with SDG-4 and taking into cognisance of the New Education Policy and flagship government schemes on universal education, AEEDU aims to further foster these efforts to enhance education access and ensure educational equity. The emphasis shall be on educational empowerment in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).