Meghalaya’s literacy paradox & the way ahead

Nidhi Sharma & Ramana Heggadal Math

“We are often misled by the literacy rate, which is only a partial measure of the real educational level of a population.” ~ Amartya Sen

Literacy is the foundation of education. The essence of this is captured by the census of India in the ability to read and write with understanding. Meghalaya emerges as an exemplar of this. The state has among the highest literacy rates in India, 74.4% against the national average of 72.99%.

The ambit of education, however, transcends definitions of literacy. While literacy accords the opportunity to tap into the socio-economic potential, education, in its true spirit, translates readily into higher earnings, better health and greater personal well-being. Education is also a powerful tool for building inclusive and peaceful societies. It arms individuals with knowledge and skills that drive sustainable development.

While at face value Meghalaya emerges as a role model, boasting of a near-3/4th literate population, upon closer inspection, the State appears to be flailing in select correlates of education.

According to NITI Aayog’s National Multidimensional Poverty Index Report based on NFHS-4 (2015-16), 32.67% in Meghalaya are multidimensionally poor in health, education and standard of living. This is the fifth highest such figure in India among states. Deprivations in education, prominently years of schooling, are at the heart of this diagnosis. The state additionally records the lowest years of schooling, second only to Bihar. It also languishes as an ‘aspirant’ in ‘quality education’ as per the SDG India Index 2020-21.

Currently, the state stares at two immediate challenges in the realm of education — high dropouts and poor learning outcomes.

As of 2021-22, Meghalaya’s dropout rates at the secondary school level were to the tune of 21.68% against India’s 12.61%. In the latest National Achievement Survey 2021 that enumerates learning outcomes, Meghalaya fares lower than the national average in all but one subject- English. These figures typify a paradox of high literacy rates and poor educational attainments in the state.

A window into this paradox is provided by way of public surveys such as the National Sample Survey (NSS) and National Family Health Survey (NFHS).

During the course of our work at Public Affairs Centre, we analysed such surveys and found that they allude to many self-reported reasons for poor school enrolment and attendance, ranging anywhere between financial constraints, marriage and engagement in economic or domestic activities. What was of particular note was the role of ‘interest’ in decisions to attend school. NSS 75^th Round (2017-18) uncovers a general lack of interest in education among those who dropped out or never enrolled in schools. NFHS-5 (2019-21) corroborates this.

If these surveys are any indications of policy praxis in the state, then the government must marshal efforts to address this disinterest and tackle it alongside other reported constraints such as those pertaining to the financial affordability of education. A pedagogical renaissance is warranted in this light.

Policy interventions at this stage can utilise practices in other states. Karnataka’s rural libraries under the ‘Oduva Belaku’ programme have revived the culture of reading and are crowd-pullers among children and adults alike. These libraries sport engaging interiors, armchairs and furniture and are well-stocked with crowdsourced books.

Shrawasti, an aspirational district in Uttar Pradesh, has transformed schools within their perimeter, refurbishing them such that they double as learning aids. Walls painted with enlightening stories decorate school corridors, making for fun learning environments. Such solutions are bound to fillip interest in learning.

The learning crisis that the state finds itself in the middle of calls for special attention. NGO Pratham’s Teaching at the Right Level is a unique, evidence-based solution that divides students into cohorts based on learning levels as opposed to age or grade. This involves regrouping based on learning outcomes as established through tests, ultimately providing needs-informed teaching. Initiatives such as these have proven effective in improving learning outcomes and bear the potential to positively invigorate Meghalaya’s educational circumstances.

The state has already proven a trailblazer in creative policy-making, putting citizen experience at the centre stage. The Meghalaya Public Private Partnership Policy 2021 is a definitive step in the right direction. The policy presents a unique opportunity, identifying education as an eligible sector for outsourcing certain services to the market. While as of 2021-22, only 15.86% of schools in the state attest to having computers, the policy’s mandate can help give impetus to digital education as an engaging medium of instruction.

Meghalaya can draw inspiration from partnerships like those mobilised in Kerala’s IT@School programme.

The programme, which has now metamorphosed into a Special Purpose Vehicle named Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education, outsourced computer hardware and software provisioning as well as in-house capacity-building of teachers to the private sector. This has effectively augmented teacher engagement, prompted greater availability of computers per learner and mainstreamed digital learning with regular classroom modules.

Participation from private vendors, public-spirited citizens and non-governmental organisations can act as a palliative in the ailing education sector. These stakeholders are rooted in ground realities and are acquainted with the pulse of local problems. Through coordinated efforts between the government and civil society, large strides can be made in human development service delivery.

At the same time, such initiatives have the potential to improve the state’s ranks in indices such as the Performance Grading Index in the spirit of competitive federalism.

Meghalaya, like other hilly states, faces the challenge of terrain. Delivery of public services in such settings is a daunting task. The state has succeeded in ensuring commendable literacy levels; however, literacy is a subset of education, opening the State up to myriad possibilities.

Now that there is a global thrust on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), states across India stare at the mammoth responsibility of meeting them. Realisation of and improvement along SDG-4 performance parameters, therefore, will double as a barometer for the assessment of ‘quality education’.

For a long time, Meghalaya’s picturesque panoramas and refreshingly unpredictable weather — vacillating at once between pearl-grey and brilliant blue skies — have invited the creative inspiration of luminaries spanning the lengths and breadths of India.

For scholars such as Rabindranath Tagore, the state offered a respite from the oppressive weather of the tropics. It is only natural that the state now doubles as a locus of action. Premiere institutions spanning the likes of the Indian Institute of Management, National Institute of Fashion Technology and National Eastern Hill University stationed in Shillong embellish the learning environment of the State. With well-designed policies, the state has the potential to emerge as the National Education Policy 2020’s ideal ‘vibrant, knowledge society’ that cuts across national boundaries.

(Sharma is senior programme officer at PAC. Math is associate data scientist at PAC. PAC was established in 2003 as a not-for-profit company. It is primarily a knowledge-based organisation that is dedicated to improving the quality of public governance by providing advisory services)