ABSTRACT
This chapter investigates some of the challenges to improve the quality of primary education for children in government schools in rural Haryana, especially as a majority of them are from disadvantaged backgrounds. While enrolment for primary school age children has become close to universal, issues related to improving learning levels continue to be a critical issue in the education domain.
This chapter provides data on learning outcomes among primary school children in rural Haryana, as well as insights on many factors that potentially impact these learning outcomes, including specific quality improvement programmes to enhance learning which were being implemented by the Haryana government. There are also factors specific to the schools selected for the study – the profile of students enrolled and teachers appointed, as well as teachers’ perceptions of their duties and how they were observed to be performing them.
A key feature of the chapter is that it is based on a mixed methods study conducted over a year in three different phases. Data was collected through (1) a survey of 36 schools from three districts in Haryana, at the beginning and the end of the school year, and (2) in-depth interviews with teachers and observations of classrooms in 6 of these 36 schools.
The mixed methods study provides useful insights into the complexities of raising learning outcomes. The findings highlight the urgent need for targeted interventions to address systemic constraints and inform policy decisions to enhance educational equity and effectiveness.
Looking ahead, this research provides a foundation for future studies and interventions aimed at improving educational outcomes in rural settings. By emphasising the importance of addressing systemic challenges and leveraging insights from the teachers themselves, it paves the way for informed policy and practice to drive positive change in the education sector.
