The Early-Aged School Going Children (Age 3-14): Uncovering the Learning Status in Perspective of Medico-socio-psychology

Enhancement of Children’s Learning Outcomes through Indian Governance

Under the NIPUN Bharat Mission, it is the National  Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy. According to NEP 2020, achieving universal foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) in primary schools by 2025 is the top priority for India’s educational system because it is essential to all subsequent learning. Assisting with this objective, the Ministry of Education will create a national mission on FLN. In order to ensure FLN in all primary schools, state and union territory administrations must create strategies for implementation with phased goals right away. The 2025 goal will be met by careful tracking and monitoring of progress [6].

Under NEP-2020, the Indian government’s Ministry of Education initiated the NIPUN Bharat Mission to encourage foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) via fun, play-based education. FLN uses rhymes, stories, games, and regional art forms to promote holistic development. From preschool through third grade, the mission’s progressive learning outcomes help kids develop solid foundations for lifetime learning. Here is being given the following development goal [7] (Figure 1).

• Maintaining the children’s good health and wellbeing.
• Being children effective communicators.
• Involvement of children becomes learners and contact with their early environment.

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The FLN is a foundational literacy and numeracy program in which a child’s holistic development depends upon the early years (3–14 years), who also set the groundwork for lifelong learning. A child’s social, academic, and intellectual development is greatly enhanced by high-quality early childhood education (ECE) programs, which set them apart from their peers. Enrolment and involvement in school are positively impacted by solid foundations laid throughout these years. Quality ECE improves school outcomes by lowering dropout rates and repetition, according to research. Early learning initiatives are therefore crucial for long-term success in formal education [6].

Study Area

This case study has been conducted for a duration between Sept. 2023 and March 2024 in the study area in the Aurangabad district of Bihar, India. The participating school- going children mostly have been covered from low-middle socio-economic background’s communities who are enrolled in governmental primary and middle school.

Inclusion Criteria

• Age group of children from 3 to 14 years.
• Schooling grade from 1 to 3 standard.
• Participating children are residing in the Aurangabad district of Bihar, near their school.
• Participating children are healthy.
• Participating children are related to all religious and category groups.

Exclusion Criteria

• Children’s age is below 3 years and above 14.
• Schooling grade above 3 standards.
• The unhealthy children.
• Children from outside Aurangabad district of Bihar and distance area. Objective: Our major objective is to promote NEP 2020 in India, which, under Nipun Bharat 2021, is to achieve the goal of foundational literacy and numeracy till 2026–27, e.g., enhancing the SLO (student learning outcome) and reducing the school dropout rate (Table 1).

Result

• MS Angrahi, MS Kanap Chahak activity is not done.
• MS Angrahi and MS Kanap demonstrated the Chahak activity with the students of Grade 1 so that the teacher could engage them in doing these activities in the classroom transaction process.
• Engaged with the students in the library to demonstrate the roles and responsibilities of the library minister and how library period can be utilized by the students.
• In the morning assembly, the students who led the morning assembly made the group of students from Grade 1 to Grade 5 so that every student gets the opportunity to learn and participate.
• Initiated HM-staff meetings in schools to build an environment where they get an opportunity to share their challenges without being judged so that both parties equally evolve and work around the school process.

Observation 2

During math Grade 1 in school, MS Balhama observed students were identifying 1 to 10 numbers through jumping activities; this was experiential learning for them. The teacher also called students one by one.

• As per the TIPPS indicator, class had a free environment where students were freely responding without fearing their answer was right or wrong. Due to mixed learning, the teacher is not focusing on grade-appropriate teaching. Students were called one by one to form a word from A, B, C, and D. Grade 1 students were not able to answer in comparison to Grade 2 students.
• In a comparison of Hindi, Grade 1 students were actively answering and solving the numerical such as addition and subtraction of 2 digits.

Result

• Demonstrated the use of the TLM kit, where we used alphabet flashcards so that students could remember and recall. Observation of Grade 1 & 2 Math Classroom transactions.
• I met with the members of Bal Sansad to understand their roles and responsibilities and how they contributed to the effectiveness of the school process. Every minister shared their engagement as per their assigned responsibilities. After interacting with them, I observed that the library minister needs guidance regarding how she needs to use library period and how we can add library activity in morning assembly.
• Demonstrated the use of flash cards in language class of Grade 1.

Observation 3

• The lesson plan was not prepared in schools daily.
• In Grade 1, sub-group teaching is not done due to which students who need more attention are left out.
• There are 4 demo schools in the morning assembly where the loudspeaker is not used and no activity is done by the students in assembly.
• The FLN kit is used by the teachers of Grade 1 and Grade 2. They use flashcards, which enable students to identify words and relate them with the images.

Result

• Did HM-Staff meet in 5 demo schools to understand the reason for not preparing lesson plans and to demonstrate how to develop lesson plans.
• In the morning assembly, the students who led the morning assembly made the group of students from Grade 1 to Grade 5 so that every student gets the opportunity to learn and participate and started the use of loudspeakers for Chetna Satra.
• Demonstrated how to do sub-group teaching where students who need more attention are also engaged in group activity.

Observation 4

• Grade 1 language and math. Students were identifying the objects through the TLM kit, but the lesson plan was not developed by the teachers according to the learning level of the students.
• Classroom observation of language and math A sub- group activity was done where Grade 1 students sat in round and square shapes and others were counting the numbers and also identifying the shapes.
• During classroom observation, students were not able to relate the word to the picture shown on the flash card.

Result

• Morning assembly was observed by him, where he gave feedback to the HM to shuffle the students to do Chetna Satra so that other students get opportunities and also include library activity in assembly.
• To make effective Multilevel learning grades I demonstrated two grades that were combined. I demonstrated a sub-group activity with the students with a TLM kit where coins were used to count the digits in ascending and descending order.
• Demonstrated to students with the TLM kit to learn and understand jump counting, and then teachers called students one by one, and out of 20 students, 11 students recognized the numbers.

Observation 5

• While visiting 10 demo schools, there are some demo schools (MS Kanap, MS Jamuwaw, and MS Balhama) where morning assembly, library, and Bal-Sansad are in a better state due to the activeness and engagement of the teachers to strengthen the school process.
• In the classroom transaction process of Grades 1 & 2 (Language & Math), I observed that teachers only focus on the students who actively participate during the transaction; due to this, those students who need more attention from the teachers to help them understand and learn are neglected.
• During classroom transactions, the teacher uses the FLN Kit to do calendar-based Chahak activities.
• During my visits, I observed that only 50% of students have textbooks. This affects other students who don’t have textbooks; this develops a lack of interest.

Result

• In order to strengthen the school process, share the observation with the HM of the respective demo schools to develop the upcoming 2-week area of improvement action plan.
• Conducted Bal Sansad meetings and interacted with the members to understand their roles and responsibilities and their daily contribution to running the school in an effective manner.
• Morning assembly plays a vital role in schools; initiated grade 1 and 2 students led morning assemblies, which will break their hesitation and also enable them to actively participate in classroom transactions.