Schooling and Learning Outcomes in Andhra Pradesh: An Evidence from Young Lives-A Longitudinal Study

Human capital must be trained from an young age toward self-reliance through schooling, the powerful instrument for reducing multi-dimensional poverty while promoting sustained, human development-led growth¹. To avoid dropouts preventing India achieving her true human capital potential, schooling and compulsory education under Right to Education (RTE) Act (2010), besides other initiatives by the Union and state governments, has led to substantial progress in the elementary and secondary school enrolment. However, quality of education remains a point of contention as access to education, proved by increasing enrolment, must change focus to better learning outcomes proved by performance in class. This study is a look into the Young Lives, a longitudinal study, made in elementary and secondary schools in Andhra Pradesh², where 1950 children were divided into 2 groups of cohorts (separated by 7 years between cohorts as being the same age group ‘then’ and ‘now’) in 13 mandals (Tehsils) spread over 4 districts. There is a need to balance at two stages: (i) increase in overall school enrolment vis-à-vis equality within the socio-economic groups regards numbers enrolled; and (ii)improvement in overall learning outcomes, irrespective of the type of school, vis-à-vis equality across different groups regarding performance. The study also recommends teacher's training, mentoring and monitoring of students, establishing schools in ‘mandal’ headquarters for accountability, and extending transport facilities to children to prevent frequent changing of schools.