Education pangs: Despite RTE, Indian teens have dismal foundational skills

While only 5.3% are not enrolled in formal education at the age of 14 years, this number jumps sharply as the years roll by; by age 17 this percentage quadruples to 20.7% and further increases to 30

Since 2005, Pratham, a non-governmental organisation engaged in education, has been coming out with its Annual Status of Education Report (Aser). Each Aser focused on children aged between 6 years and 14 years and mapped the schooling status of and the “impact” of primary education on the children’s ability to complete basic reading and arithmetic tasks. Each of these reports painted a depressing picture of the poor educational attainment in India’s schools. The Right to Education (RTE) Act, which came into effect in 2010 and provided free and compulsory education to all children aged between 6 years and 14 years,