Indian students rank 2nd last in global test

[mos]

Indian students rank 2nd last in global test - The Times of India

[mudskipper]

What's your point? India is a developing country - the vast majority of its inhabitants live in poverty. Rural schools are little more than sheds with many teachers being untrained. It would be surprising if they weren't near the bottom.

The school I visited there had three walls, no equipment bar a blackboard (that is - no books, no desks, nothing). No electricity (forget computers). Those who could afford to brought their own stationery, or relied on donations by tourist groups like us. But the kids seemed bright, enthusiastic and proud to show off their English.

[fullyautomatix]

What's your point? India is a developing country - the vast majority of its inhabitants live in poverty. Rural schools are little more than sheds with many teachers being untrained. It would be surprising if they weren't near the bottom.

The school I visited there had three walls, no equipment bar a blackboard (that is - no books, no desks, nothing). No electricity (forget computers). Those who could afford to brought their own stationery, or relied on donations by tourist groups like us. But the kids seemed bright, enthusiastic and proud to show off their English.

Where was this Mud ? What were you doing there ?

Rural schools might lack basic education facilities but cities have extremely good schools. Some of the exams to enter business schools or technology schools are very competitive and the exams to enter IIM is considered to be the toughest in the world.

[EternalOptimist]

What's your point? India is a developing country - the vast majority of its inhabitants live in poverty. Rural schools are little more than sheds with many teachers being untrained. It would be surprising if they weren't near the bottom.

The school I visited there had three walls, no equipment bar a blackboard (that is - no books, no desks, nothing). No electricity (forget computers). Those who could afford to brought their own stationery, or relied on donations by tourist groups like us. But the kids seemed bright, enthusiastic and proud to show off their English.

luxury
we had TWO walls, no blackboard, no nothing and dad would beat us to sleep with tandoori

IF we were lucky

[mudskipper]

Where was this Mud ? What were you doing there ?

Rural schools might lack basic education facilities but cities have extremely good schools. Some of the exams to enter business schools or technology schools are very competitive and the exams to enter IIM is considered to be the toughest in the world.

Just there as a tourist - the school we visited (the one in the photo) was near Ranthambore game reserve - we took some stationery for the kids - our tour guide advised us to give the stuff direct to the kids, because if we passed it to the headteacher the kids probably wouldn't see it unless they paid for it.

Absolutely there are some great schools and colleges in India, but it's the lucky minority who get the opportunity to go to them. Primary education is mandatory in India, but the kids have to have uniform which rules many out. There were swathes of children outside the school we visited who should have been in school but couldn't afford to. And huge gangs of kids in the cities that I'm pretty sure never set foot in a school.

If you're looking at educational standards across the whole population, and not just those attending decent schools regularly it's not surprising that India is towards the bottom of the scale.

[mudskipper]

India makes education compulsory and free under landmark law - Telegraph

Here's an interesting article - 50% of kids never go to school, and 50% of those who do drop out before 11. More girls than boys illiterate (look at the ratio of boys to girls in the photo). This bill was passed in 2009 - the year that we went, so will be interesting to see if anything actually changes.

[EternalOptimist]

Just there as a tourist - the school we visited (the one in the photo) was near Ranthambore game reserve - we took some stationery for the kids - our tour guide advised us to give the stuff direct to the kids, because if we passed it to the headteacher the kids probably wouldn't see it unless they paid for it.

Absolutely there are some great schools and colleges in India, but it's the lucky minority who get the opportunity to go to them. Primary education is mandatory in India, but the kids have to have uniform which rules many out. There were swathes of children outside the school we visited who should have been in school but couldn't afford to. And huge gangs of kids in the cities that I'm pretty sure never set foot in a school.

If you're looking at educational standards across the whole population, and not just those attending decent schools regularly it's not surprising that India is towards the bottom of the scale.

joking apart.

and this is in a developing country. never mind a backward country.
we are so lucky

[mudskipper]

joking apart.

and this is in a developing country. never mind a backward country.
we are so lucky

Absolutely. It was an eye opener and I wished we could have done more.

[suityou01]

Luxury,

we had to get up before we had gone to bed, do 6 paper rounds, lick the road clean etc etc

[minestrone]

I will give my updation on this thread tomorrow