Government schools witness improved infra, growth in digital literacy, says report

Jammu and Kashmir has made significant progress in access to education and improvements in government school infrastructure. However, much remains to be done to create an inclusive system that ensures every child attends school, according to the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024.

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The report indicates a decline in enrolment of children aged 6-14 in government schools compared to 2018. While the enrolment rate for this age group was 58.3 per cent in 2018, it dropped to 55.5 per cent in 2022 before rising slightly to 57.2 per cent in 2024.

The report also highlights a drastic increase in smartphone usage among students in Jammu and Kashmir. In 2018, only 53.6 per cent of households had smartphones, which increased to 84.7 per cent in 2022 and further to 90.7 per cent in 2024.

Digital literacy among adolescents aged 14-16 has also risen considerably. Among students aged 14, 92.8 per cent have a smartphone at home, while the percentage rises to 93.7 per cent for 15-year-olds and 94.8 per cent for 16-year-olds. Interestingly, 93.8 per cent of girls have access to a smartphone at home, slightly exceeding boys at 93.6 per cent.

The percentage of children enrolled in Anganwadis stands at 64.9 per cent for three-year-olds, 37.7 per cent for four-year-olds, and 11.2 per cent for five-year-olds in 2024.

Despite government initiatives for girl students, 4.6 per cent of girls aged 15-16 are still not attending school. Additionally, 3.8 per cent of all students in this age group are not enrolled in either government or private schools. Among girls aged 7-10, 58.2 per cent study in government schools, while 41.1 per cent are enrolled in private schools.

The ASER 2024 survey covered 517 rural schools in Jammu and Kashmir, including 98 primary schools and 419 upper primary schools, compared to 376 schools surveyed in 2018.

While 92.6 per cent of schools met the pupil-teacher ratio norm in 2018, this number declined to 88.4 per cent in 2024. On the other hand, the percentage of schools meeting the classroom-teacher ratio norm improved from 43.8 per cent in 2018 to 60.2 per cent in 2024.

Infrastructure in schools has also improved significantly. The availability of drinking water increased from 54.6 per cent in 2018 to 74.8 per cent in 2024. Usable toilet facilities were present in 81.8 per cent of schools in 2024, up from 73 per cent in 2018. Additionally, the number of schools with electricity connections saw a dramatic rise from 31.2 per cent in 2018 to 92.8 per cent in 2024.