Foundational Literacy and Numeracy

In India, elementary education has made significant strides toward universalisation. However, the spotlight has shifted from mere access to a more critical concern: the quality of teaching and learning. Despite this progress, persistent gaps persistently separate what children actually learn from what they should achieve at each grade level. These disparities are particularly pronounced among children from marginalized communities.

Challenges Persist:

  • Basic Literacy and Numeracy: Even after 22 years of the Right to Education Act, many children from vulnerable backgrounds still lack essential literacy and numeracy skills during their crucial early school years. The promise of foundational education remains unfulfilled for far too many.
  • Pandemic Impact: The COVID-19 pandemic has further complicated matters. Children often enter middle school without the ability to read comprehensively, write independently, or perform basic mathematical operations. This deficiency reverberates throughout their educational journey, leading to alarming dropout rates.

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 squarely addresses this challenge. It outlines an Action Plan to bridge the learning gap. However, translating these guidelines into practice demands a concerted effort:

  • Teacher Empowerment: Teacher educators, instructors, and administrative bodies must collaborate on a large scale. They play a pivotal role in implementing effective teaching methodologies.
  • Pedagogical Shift: Programs aimed at achieving robust literacy and numeracy outcomes require a fundamental reorientation. We must rethink how we teach early literacy and mathematics.
  • Evaluation Reforms: Evaluation systems need revamping. Assessments should align with learning goals and provide meaningful insights for improvement.
  • Motivating Educators: Enhancing teacher motivation is crucial. Inspired educators create inspired learners.

It is here that FLF can contribute, through technical support to government systems, rooted in knowledge gained from our continuous engagement with national and global research.

What FLF Offers

FLF offers comprehensive support to FLN programmes as follows:

  • Ongoing professional development of teacher trainers, resource persons, teachers and NGO support teachers, integrating a theoretical understanding of FLN with practical skills and approaches to teaching, reviewing and assessing learner progress, within the framework of state curriculum and evaluation policies
  • Provision of supporting materials for teachers
  • Provision of appropriate and relevant teaching learning materials
  • Guidance in developing teacher-prepared materials
  • Training for Mentoring support for teachers
  • Monitoring and assessment of processes and outcomes
  • Strategies for involvement of parents and local communities through School authorities, Panchayats and other local bodies