Over the years, we have observed in India a visible increase in the number of children enrolled in schools. But at the same time, learning levels haven’t grown. Pratham’s Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2021 shows (bit.ly/3Jj3HLZ) that a higher number of older children (ages 15-16) are in school now, with 67.4% students enrolled in government schools (compared to 57.4% in 2018).
In the coming years, it is likely that we will see an even larger number of youth graduating with high school certificates and degrees. These youth are more likely to aspire for jobs in government or the private sector, with hardly anyone interested in agriculture or labour-based work. Yet, if we observe employment trends in India, over 80% of all workers are hired by the informal economy. Put two and two together, and it becomes painfully apparent that most youth are unable to fulfil the aspirations they had outlined for themselves.
Take for instance the youth trained by Pratham Education Foundation’s skilling centres. In 2015, over 85% of the youth enrolled had dropped out of the school system before grade 12. In 2021, however, less than 35% of the enrolled trainees were drop-outs, while the rest had completed grade 12 education. The eligibility criteria, content, courses and sectors have essentially remained the same over the last six years. Yet we can see that more ‘qualified’ youth are choosing to pursue a pathway designed for ‘drop-outs’. These youth who typically come from low-income families do not have the luxury of investing in higher education and advanced learning, given the opportunity cost. In such a situation, the idea that you can be connected from your village to a training centre and then to the workforce in less than 6 months is a more desirable alternative. There is a back-story which needs to be highlighted here.
Despite the higher rate of graduation from schools, most youth do not possess the skills expected of them by prospective employers. Much of this can be attributed to an emphasis on exams and the lack of focus on learning outcomes (bit.ly/3yVHK0M). Trainees who join Pratham centres have spent 3-7 years unsuccessfully looking for jobs after graduation (their median age of enrolment is 24-25), with limited guidance and awareness about opportunities. For years, these youth were conditioned to believe that working as an electrician or a housekeeping attendant is not admirable and they turned to vocational centres only as a last resort. The unfortunate reality is that there are millions in India who choose to stay unemployed instead of pursuing a vocation-based job. We need to shift from a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to one that is tailored to match local realities.
