Did you know that 73.2% of grade 5 children in Kerala struggle with division? Even more concerning, 55.7% of grade 8 children face the same challenge. Despite Kerala’s claim of 100% literacy, the learning outcomes raise serious concerns.
Meet Anju, a sixth-grade student from a low-income family in Ernakulam district. Her dream of becoming a teacher is hindered by her parents’ lack of education and the pandemic’s impact on her studies.
Anju’s grade 5 exams reflected her struggles, with scores as low as 36% in Maths, 33% in General Science, 43% in Social Science, and 40% in English, averaging 38%.
In June 2022, we assessed 250 low-income children in Kerala, revealing alarming results: 7.3% in foundational numeracy and 10.3% in reading, listening, thinking, memory, and speed.
These findings highlight significant learning gaps among the 38 lakh children aged 6 to 14 in Kerala attending government schools, as supported by reports.
The absence of proficiency among socially and economically disadvantaged children aged 10 to 13 limits their educational opportunities, hindering their growth and societal contribution.
Since 2021, Value Education Trust has supported disadvantaged children like Anju in Kerala, offering high-quality training programs alongside their schooling.
After eleven months of training, Anju’s interest in studies has grown, with improved marks and concentration. Her class teacher confirms her steady improvement, reflected in higher exam scores.
She scored an average of 51% in the term two exams and improved it to 69% in the term three exams in grade 5. In fact, the average aggregate score of all the 30 children enrolled in our pilot project has improved from 42.9% in Term 1 to 52.9% in Term 3.
Anju and her friends will complete their training in 2025, confident in their ability to excel and pursue suitable careers.
Your support helps create more success stories. In our second project cycle, which started in April 2023, we aim to impact 200 children. Let’s bridge the education gap in Kerala for a brighter future.
