1 in 10 rural households got phone to back child’s study

About one in every 10 rural households across the country bought a new phone to support their child’s education after schools closed down in March, the latest Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) released Wednesday reveals.

The survey aimed to explore the challenges faced by students, teachers and parents during the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent school closure.

ASER 2020 (rural) was conducted in September this year, the sixth month of national school closures.

According to a press statement, the survey was conducted in 26 states and four Union Territories.

A total of 52,227 households and 59,251 children in the age group of 5-16 years, as well as teachers or head teachers from 8,963 government schools offering primary grades were surveyed for the report.

The ASER survey, facilitated by Pratham, a non-profit working in the field of education, is an annual survey that maps the status of children’s schooling. The report is regarded highly by policy-makers at the level of both the state and central governments. The Print