The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024 provides valuable insights into private schools’ learning levels, enrollment trends, and digital literacy in rural India. While private schools historically performed better than government schools, the pandemic impacted their learning outcomes significantly. Here’s a focused look at private schools based on ASER 2024 findings.
Learning Levels in Private Schools
- Before the pandemic, private schools generally had higher learning levels than government schools, even after adjusting for household affluence and parental education.
- In 2018, 40.6% of Class 3 students in private schools could read a Class 2-level text, compared to just 20.9% in government schools.
- The pandemic caused a decline in learning levels across all school types, but private schools saw a sharper drop. By 2022, only 33.1% of Class 3 students in private schools could read at a Class 2 level, while government schools recorded 16.3%.
- The recovery in private schools was slower than in government schools. In 2024, the proportion of Class 3 students in private schools able to read a Class 2-level text increased to 35.5%—still below the pre-pandemic level of 40.6% in 2018.
- As government school students recovered faster, the learning gap between private and government schools for Class 3 reading reduced from 20 percentage points in 2018 to just 12 percentage points in 2024.
- Regional data shows variations in recovery. For example, in Himachal Pradesh (rural), 57.5% of Class 3 students in private schools could read a Class 2-level text in 2018. This dropped to 44.8% in 2022 but rebounded to 58.1% in 2024.
- A similar trend of muted recovery in private schools is observed in Class 5 reading levels, though specific data needs further review.
Enrollment Trends in Private Schools
- Government and private school enrollment in rural India has returned to 2018 levels in 2024, indicating that the surge in government school enrollments during COVID-19 may have been temporary.
- Private schools play a significant role in pre-primary education in many states, catering to a substantial proportion of young learners.
- In Madhya Pradesh (rural), 40.9% of 5-year-olds were enrolled in private LKG/UKG in 2024, highlighting the private sector’s influence on early childhood education.
- Chart 2 in ASER 2024 shows trends in government school enrollment for primary and upper primary levels, indirectly reflecting the share of private school enrollment by state and gender.
Private Schools and Pre-Primary Education
- While discussions on early education largely focus on government programs like the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), less is known about how private schools structure their pre-primary classes.
- Private institutions continue to play a vital but understudied role in shaping early childhood education across different states.
Digital Literacy Among Private School Students (Ages 14-16)
- ASER 2024 includes self-reported data on smartphone access, ownership, and usage among 14-16-year-olds in private schools.
- In Punjab (rural), 96.2% of 14-16-year-olds in private schools reported having access to a smartphone in 2024, reflecting high digital penetration.
- Despite access, effective utilization for educational purposes remains an area for further exploration.
The ASER 2024 report highlights how private schools in rural India have faced challenges in post-pandemic recovery, particularly in learning levels. While private institutions continue to provide significant educational opportunities, especially in early education, their recovery has been slower compared to government schools. Understanding these shifts is essential for policymakers, educators, and stakeholders aiming to bridge learning gaps and improve educational outcomes for all children in India.