Education and Learning: Preliminary Findings from the Round 5 Survey in India

Round 5 Longitudinal Education Factsheet

This fact sheet presents findings from the fifth round of the Young Lives survey of children in United Andhra Pradesh in 2016. Young Lives has followed two cohorts of children, born seven years apart in age. This fact sheet gives a snapshot of key education indicators for 15-year-olds in 2016 (Younger Cohort) and compares that to the data for 15-yearolds in 2009 (Older Cohort) to show changes in the context of children’s education over that 7-year time period. As the key findings show, great progress has been made on expanded access to secondary schooling, but learning levels often remain low. Policies to improve equity should continue to address the position of the poorest children, girls and those from marginalised social groups.

Key Findings:

91% of 15-year-old children were enrolled in secondary schools in 2016, up from 78% for 15-year-olds in 2009.

The increase in enrolment was particularly significant for girls and Backward Class (BC) children, with 90% of 15-year-old girls enrolled in 2016 (compared with 74% in 2009) and 91% of BC children (compared with 76% in 2009).

The number of children attending private schools marginally increased from 35% in 2009 to 37% in 2016.

The Private school enrolment in 2016 remains biased towards boys (41%), Other Castes (62%), the top wealth tercile (62%), and urban children (64%).

Learning levels of 15-year olds in 2016 in the same mathematics question did not show improvement as compared to 15-year olds in 2009.