ABSTRACT
The case of the state of Kerala is celebrated as a model in a country where the general level of attainments in elementary education leaves much to be desired. Recent reports showed that about one-fifth of even the male population in the country as a whole is illiterate (2011), the median number of school years the males accomplished is less than five (2006) and the gender disparity is woefully high. Therefore the achievement of the goals of the Government of India (GoI)-assisted flagship programme called Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) like ‘Universal Elementary Education (UEE)’ by the year 2003 and attainment of eight years of schooling of children of 6–14 years by the year 2010 was generally considered as a case of stroll in the park for the state of Kerala. It was believed that with high and almost gender-neutral pre-SSA status in literacy (GOI 2011), median years of schooling (IIPS 2005; NFHS-Kerala 2005–06), non-attendance of a mere 2.4 per cent (GoK 2004 Educational Statistics; NSSO 66th round report), Kerala could achieve the SSA targets well in advance of the timeframe of the mission, and well ahead of other states in India – that too, with lesser costs.
