Latest news with #NationalInitiativeforProficiencyinReadingwithUnderstandingandNumeracy
The Hindu
4 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
NIPUN Haryana: From foundations to flight
Imagine a classroom where kids stumble over simple words or can't add two numbers together. For years, this has been the sobering reality for millions of children across India, leaving them lost before they even had a chance to dream big. This educational crisis threatened not only individual futures but also our nation's progress. The COVID-19 pandemic only deepened this crisis, amplifying fears of irreversible learning loss. When the National Education Policy 2020 highlighted foundational literacy and numeracy (reading, writing, and basic math), Haryana took measurable steps in alignment. In July 2021, following the launch of the National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN) Bharat mission, the State launched the NIPUN Haryana mission with a promise: that every child in a government school would gain the reading, writing, and Math skills. Four years later, the results of the sustained implementation of the mission have made its visibility significant at the national level. From early learning to Class 5 From the beginning, NIPUN Haryana mission brought preschool called Balvatika III into over 8,600 primary schools, enrolling more than 86,000 five-year-olds in 2024-25. Early learning is sought to be made fun through the use of tools such as learning kits, rhymes, and the Vidya Pravesh school readiness program. The state has also set up 119 model Balvatikas, one in every educational block, to serve as examples for high-quality early learning. The mission extends from these early learners all the way up to Grade 5, covering children between the ages of 5 and 11. Children receive fun, easy-to-use textbooks and workbooks each year, along with structured teaching and learning materials designed with inputs from the National Curriculum Framework and adapted for Haryana, making learning feel less like a chore and more like an adventure. Over 35,000 teachers have been trained face-to-face for over 140 hours, learning new ways to make lessons stick. They're not left on their own afterward either. Online asynchronous learning courses on platforms like DIKSHA keep them updated, and monthly meetups called Shala Sangams let them swap ideas with peers. Then there are the 'mentors', over 1,500 of them, who drop into classrooms each month. They watch, guide, and cheer teachers on, using a customised 'NIPUN Haryana' app to log what they see. Some 7,400 school visits and more than 1 lakh spot assessments of students a month have been logged, providing valuable feedback for improvement. So, how do we know it's working? In September 2024, a large-scale third-party NIPUN Haryana evaluation designed in alignment with international research standards assessed 22,708 students across 1,187 government schools. The findings revealed both gains and clear pathways for targeted improvement. Students in Grades 2 and 3 displayed strong proficiency in listening comprehension, sentence reading, and reading comprehension, with Grade 3 students particularly excelling in core numeracy competencies such as number identification, addition, and multiplication. At the same time, the assessment flagged areas requiring further attention: reading fluency, word problem solving, and number pattern recognition. These insights align closely with national data. According to the 2024 Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), the share of Haryana's Grade 3 government school children demonstrating grade-level numeracy rose from 26.1% in 2022 to 33.1% in 2024, outperforming the national average. Grade 5 students, too, are now reading and calculating at levels above national benchmarks. But beyond the numbers lies a deeper story. These data points translate into children reading aloud to their siblings, helping parents with calculations at local shops, and engaging with their studies with growing self-assurance. Technology has emerged as an enabler of Haryana's learning transformation. Under the state's e-Adhigam initiative, every teacher and mentor in government schools was equipped with internet-enabled smart tablets. These are being used to drive the implementation of NIPUN Haryana—from facilitating data-driven instruction to tracking student progress in real time. Complementing these are mobile apps that simplify classroom observations and lesson planning, facilitating teachers, parents, and administrators to work in concert. Looking ahead, the introduction of Holistic Progress Cards will provide families with a more complete picture of each child's development—not just academic scores, but also skills, strengths, and growth trajectories over time. Connecting with families Through initiatives like NIPUN Raftar (reading competitions) and NIPUN Ramleela (dramatisations of lessons), learning is sought to be part of dinner table conversations among families. Parents receive updates via key mission-related information via diverse channels, bridging the traditional gap between school and home. From local raginis and radio shows to school exhibitions and student-led storytelling, the mission has found creative ways to connect with families. As India works toward achieving the ambitious goals of NEP 2020, Haryana offers valuable lessons: start early, invest in teachers, use technology wisely, involve communities, and continuously measure results. As the State steps into NIPUN Haryana 2.0, the mission is shifting gear, from expanding access to deepening outcomes, from delivering content to unlocking learning. (Parmod Kumar is the State Programme Officer at Department of School Education, Haryana, and Sambhrant S is the Associate Director, State Reforms at Central Square Foundation)
Time of India
7 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Govt schools celebrate literacy drive milestone
Patna: Govt schools across the state observed 'Nipun Diwas' on Saturday to mark four years of the National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (Mission NIPUN Bharat). The mission, launched to strengthen foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) skills in students from classes I to III, aims to achieve its goals by the academic year 2026-27. In Bihar, the initiative currently covers around 70,000 schools. While most schools followed the education department's directive to play the official Nipun theme song during the celebrations, students who demonstrated proficiency in language and mathematics were not recognised in a few schools in Patna. On this occasion, additional chief secretary of the education department, S Siddharth, addressed a letter to students, which was read out in schools across the state. In his message, he urged students to go beyond textbooks and embrace essential life skills, values, and curiosity-driven learning. He wrote, "True proficiency or Nipunta is reflected in your behaviour. Be curious, think critically and foster creativity." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is it legal? How to get Internet without paying a subscription? Techno Mag Learn More Undo Following a baseline survey conducted in March 2022 by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) to assess class II students, each district set five-year goals and prepared implementation plans. Since then, key resources like FLN and TLM (teaching-learning materials) kits were supplied to primary schools in 2022-23, and class-wise practice books in Hindi, mathematics, English and Urdu have been distributed annually between 2022 and 2025. In addition, children have been provided with essential school items such as bags, water bottles and stationery from the 2023-24 session.
Time of India
04-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Now, NIPUN plus app to assess students till class 8
Lucknow: Now, children enrolled in govt primary schools up to class 8 will undergo the NIPUN (National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy) test to measure their learning outcomes through the NIPUN Plus app, recently launched by the education department. The app has been upgraded to ensure spot assessments are conducted for children up to class 8. Previously, the app was used to assess the learning outcomes of children up to class 4. The upgraded app will quickly assess the learning level of students and collect evidence for necessary improvements in the teaching-learning process. It will also provide need-based immediate support to the student based on their performance and will develop a competency-based integrated plan for class teaching. Through the app, teachers and parents will also be able to know the learning level of children. During assessment through the app, it will be mandatory to upload selfies with students on a random basis.
The Hindu
22-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Bridging the learning gap: Why parental and community involvement is key to India's FLN mission
In Lalakhedi village, located in the Sehore district of Madhya Pradesh, Ramprasad, a daily wage labourer, is a father of three school-going children, Anshu, Vidhya, and Gauri, who study in Classes 1, 3, and 4, at a government school, Madhyamik Vidyalaya, Lalakhedi. When asked about his involvement in their education, whether he motivates his children to attend school regularly or complete their homework, or knows what syllabus is being taught in school, he said, 'Yes, but they do it themselves.' Ramprasad says his children return home after school and complete their schoolwork on their own. 'They don't get any homework these days,' he added. Both he and his wife, who is also a daily wage worker, are often away from home during the day, leaving little room for academic support to their children. When asked if his wife gets involved in the children's studies, Ramprasad said, 'She has not studied much, so she is often unable to help.' He added that he has studied till Class 8. Expressing a common belief among many parents, he said, 'There's nothing much to study in Class 1 and Class 2 in any case,' suggesting that early-grade learning is easy and can be the school's responsibility. As schools work toward basic reading and arithmetic, families and communities outside school also play a major part, say educationists, adding without their participation, classroom efforts alone may fall short. However, a significant proportion of India's schoolchildren are not very different from Ramprasad's children. Their parents and the extended community around them are not in a position to play that role. The importance of active parental involvement becomes even more pronounced in the context of the National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN) Bharat Mission, which aims to ensure that all children acquire Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) skills by the end of Class 3 by the year 2026-27. FLN levels at this age are important for future studies and skills, and then employability. The school's FLN efforts include ensuring the child's ability to read age-appropriate texts with comprehension and carry out basic mathematical tasks like addition, subtraction, and multiplication. To support and assess the progress of children under the NIPUN Bharat mission, the government has introduced PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development), a national assessment centre under NCERT which aims to establish a framework for assessing learning outcomes across States and ensure that FLN goals are being met effectively. PARAKH helps schools and policymakers identify gaps early and make informed interventions. The success of these goals and programmes hinges not only on what happens within the classroom. There is a need for more community-level campaigns and support mechanisms that can bridge the gap between school, home and studies. The problem is not just access or infrastructure, but a lack of interconnectedness—between parents and teachers, between policy and practice, and between the child's world inside and outside school. Filling this void requires a coordinated, community-powered movement, not just classroom-based reform. Root causes Jayant Joshi, a retired government school principal who is now involved in developing FLN workbooks (Abhyas Pustika), is engaged in creating training modules for teachers under the FLN programme in Bhopal. He shares the challenges he has observed at the ground level while working closely with families and communities. He noted that children often miss school during harvest or the 'katai' seasons, as they are expected to help their families. Many children are tasked with looking after younger siblings when their parents are away at work, which further affects their attendance and learning consistency. He observed that teacher training does not translate into actual ground work due to differences in teaching methods, lack of understanding and, sometimes, just inertia. Mr. Joshi says that while the special FLN workbooks are designed for students to carry home and revise what they've learned in school, parental involvement remains minimal. Many families, particularly in rural and tribal areas of Madhya Pradesh, come from farming backgrounds or belong to Adivasi communities, where the parents themselves often haven't received formal education. 'They believe that whatever little their children manage to learn in school is enough. Most parents only check whether their child has passed or failed,' he added. Abdul Qayom Khan, principal of a government school in Kupwama, Kashmir said that students in his school are from different language backgrounds. Not all understand Hindi, Urdu or English, thus teaching class 3 the basic concepts of addition-subtraction in their native language poses obstacles for teachers and for students both. They are also first generation learners so 'the school does not expect parental support….students showing up to the class is the most ambitious expectation we hold,' Mr. Khan added. While in Kashmir, the political disturbances can take a toll on students' learning, elsewhere in India, other external factors such as transport connectivity, lack of infrastructure, harsh weather, irregular availability or unwillingness of teachers to work in remote locations, and seasonal agricultural work often takes priority over education. A non-profit intervention Avinash Verma, who works as a Programme Officer in Patra, Dhar (Madhya Pradesh) with the SRF Foundation, shared that a CSR programme of the company in partnership with the government has adopted several government schools with the aim of transforming them into model schools. The SRF Foundation is the social responsibility arm of SRF Ltd., working to improve the quality of education in government schools across India. 'Our first priority is to develop or repair the school's infrastructure then we move toward strengthening the academic structure,' Mr. Verma said. Their efforts include teacher training, setting up computer labs, digital classrooms, Science labs, and creating subject-specific reading corners. They also ensure the availability of equipment and stationery needed for academic activities. 'It is equally important to build teachers' capabilities to make full use of these facilities, and that's why we focus on teacher training and hold regular competitions. The recognition and involvement motivate teachers,' he added. He further explained that SRF volunteers hold regular meetings with the village sarpanch, Anganwadi workers, teachers, and parents to assess the school's needs and align efforts accordingly. These community meetings have helped in regular interactions between parents and teachers, as well as the attendance count of every student. 'Some parents argue that teachers aren't teaching, and so they stop sending their children to school. These kinds of doubts often come up and are openly addressed in the meetings,' he said. Mr. Verma talks about a common issue observed on the ground: 'Sometimes students lie to teachers, saying their parents asked them to come home early, and then tell their parents that the teachers weren't present. These situations lead to misunderstandings, but regular communication helps us tackle them.' He noted that hygiene, clean bathrooms, water availability, internet availability, and quality of mid-day meal keep the parents enthusiastic about sending their children to school. 'We take time to explain to parents that the teachers in government schools are well-qualified and have cleared competitive exams, unlike many in private schools,' he said. 'To build trust, we even invite them to join the children for a mid-day meal at school so they can see the quality of food being served.' The role of School Management Committees Sometimes, a pro-active School Management Committee (SMC) can turn things around such as in the Corporation Elementary School in Mogappair, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Ms Krishnaveni, Headmaster of the school, shared that the SMC associated with her school comprises 25 members, including educationists, volunteer parents, and community volunteers. The school runs classes from kindergarten to Grade 5 and currently includes 25 children with special needs, including students with autism. 'Interested parents join the committee as volunteers and that way they help their child and other children too through the daily tasks of reading and writing,' Ms. Krishnaveni said. What sets this school apart is the everyday involvement of at least six to seven parents who come in to assist students with reading and writing. The school also conducts special coaching classes for both children with special needs and others in core subjects like Maths, English, and Tamil, for two and a half hours daily. Supported by the Tamil Nadu government, the school has been provided with workbooks and learning materials - the SMC enhances this further by creating laminated grammar and Math activity sheets, promoting newspaper reading, and sharing library books to improve students' reading habits. They also engage students in practicing tongue twisters in Tamil and English to help develop vocabulary and improve speech, especially for students with special needs. Ms Krishnaveni said that the government conducted the FLN assessment in November 2024 for Classes 3 and 5. From Class 3, 20 students were selected through a government lottery system to take the test. The results of the assessment are yet to be announced. However, Ms. Krishnaveni went a step further. Once the selected 20 students completed the assessment, she conducted the same test for the rest of the class as well, comprising 40 students. 'This was to understand where each student stands and to identify who needs additional attention.' She noted that among the 40 students in Class 3, three have autism and five are on the dyslexia spectrum. Despite these challenges, she said the majority of students performed well. 'About 90% of them did well, though 10% struggled with English. For those students, we're currently holding special English support classes after school,' she added. She also pointed out that 20 students have shown advanced writing skills. Ms. Krishnaveni mentioned the importance of community involvement in a child's learning journey. 'It's not just the teachers. We have coaching volunteers, parents, and even school staff like sweepers stepping in to help. One of our sweepers conducts drawing classes to keep the students engaged and reduce boredom,' she shared. 'I strongly believe that one teacher alone can't make a difference. We need a group, a community, that supports students daily, helping them achieve the basics,' Ms. Krishnaveni said. Statewide FLN missions The Central Square Foundation (CSF), a non-profit dedicated to enhancing students' learning outcomes through its system-level interventions and State partnerships, works with 11 State governments as a technical support partner to design and implement statewide FLN missions. Ms Shaveta Sharma-Kukreja, CEO & MD, says these collaborations support States in creating roadmaps, developing content, strengthening teacher capacity, and building monitoring systems to ensure the effectiveness of FLN efforts on the ground. CSF also advocates for a community-led approach to improving learning outcomes, aligning closely with the goals of the NIPUN Bharat Mission. Ms. Shaveta noted that CFS is developing easy-to-understand communication materials, supporting States in conducting FLN-focused SMC orientation sessions, conducting training for headmasters and mentors, as well as supporting the State in organising parent-teachers meetings. 'The success of the NIPUN Bharat Mission is not just a government priority, but to achieve its objectives, it needs to follow a whole-of-society approach and be energised by members of the community,' she said. Ms. Shaveta further notes, 'By equipping SMCs with the right knowledge and tools, and empowering parents, we aim to make them true partners in ensuring that every child in Grades 1-3 can read with understanding and solve basic Math problems.'
