Why India must measure digital literacy
- The Right to Free and Compulsory Education (2009) ensures elementary schooling for 6-14 year children.
- This led to a decrease in percentage of 6-14 years out of school children to 2.8% by 2018.
Enrollment Data and Contrary Trends
- Covid-19 led to prolonged school closures, raising concerns about learning loss and potential dropouts, especially among older children.
- Enrollment data during the Covid years contradicted fears of increased dropouts.
- ASER 2020-21 showed a minor increase in out-of-school numbers, primarily among 6-10 year olds.
- Proportion of 6-14-year olds not enrolled fell to 1.6% in 2022, the lowest in the decade since RTE implementation.
- Out-of-school proportion for 15-16 year olds declined from 16.1% in 2010 to 7.5% in 2022.
Changes during Covid Years
- The pandemic saw an increase in smartphone penetration in rural India, rising from 36% in 2018 to 74.8% in 2022.
- Access to digital devices became crucial for education and livelihoods, with schools sharing resources via WhatsApp.
- The World Development Report talks about the emerging “digital dividend” from the rapid expansion of digital technologies
- More children completing elementary education and transitioning to secondary school sets the stage for both the "demographic" and "digital" dividends.
ASER 2022 Focus on Rural Youth (14-18 years)
- ASER 2022 focuses on rural youth to understand their activities, educational pursuits, aspirations and digital literacy.
- Insights into study and work choices, aspirations and digital engagement can guide policy planning.
Role of EdTech and Digital Literacy
- The significance of EdTech in delivering educational resources and targeted instruction to students is increasing.
- To ensure the effectiveness of these initiatives, there is a call for reliable evidence on the digital literacy of youth.
- Understanding digital activities and capabilities can inform better planning at the policy level.
Conclusion
- Supporting youth aspirations is crucial for the quality of the labour force to meet developmental needs.
- Ensuring youth are well-supported to achieve aspirations contributes to their productive participation in the economy.