Education Trajectories: From Early Childhood to Early Adulthood in India
The report highlights the inequities and lack of opportunities for children, particularly girls, from chronically poor households
Abstract
This report draws upon Young Lives longitudinal data gathered in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to trace the educational trajectories of 2 cohorts of children since 2002. From this data, it is clear that huge disparities exist in educational outcomes for children, based on wealth index, gender, location and dynamic poverty status. Stratification of better-off children and boys into private low-fee charging schools adds further to the inequity.
The report highlights the increasing inequities and lack of opportunities afforded to children, particularly girls, from chronically poor households. The low educational achievement for children from economically and socially disadvantaged backgrounds needs to be addressed urgently to ensure that education becomes an equaliser rather than a source of increasing division. This would need consistent policies, programmes and public investment targeting educationally vulnerable children from an early age.
Young Lives is an international study of childhood poverty, following the lives of 12,000 children in 4 countries (Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam) over 15 years. Young Lives is funded by the UK Department for International Development.
Citation
Singh, Renu and Protap Mukherjee (2016), Education Trajectories: From Early Childhood to Early Adulthood in India, Young Lives Education Country Report. Oxford: Young Lives
Links
Education Trajectories: From Early Childhood to Early Adulthood in India