Abstract

Andhra Pradesh (AP) is a relatively newly formed state; it was carved out of an erstwhile state with the same name that was divided into AP and Telangana in 2014. Andhra Pradesh has a favourable sex ratio both at childbirth, and, for the population as a whole, it also reports higher gender parity at all stages of school education. The participation of educationally disadvantaged communities such as Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs), has been increasing over the years at all stages except senior secondary. This could be attributed to several factors, one of which is the lack of accessibility to these institutions, especially for students from disadvantaged communities.

The incidence of child marriage has remained high despite higher levels of secondary schooling participation rates among girls. It is also interesting to note that child marriage does not emerge as a major reason in self-reported reasons for dropping out from schools. The issue of quality of learning are other major issues as the attendance ratios are low as compared to enrolment ratios, and merely high enrolments do not necessarily ensure learning. The institutional ethos as well as the state policies play a major role in determining how and what kinds of learnings are valued and promoted. A vast web of institutions exists at state, district, and sub-district (mandals in AP) levels for recruitment, control, and training of teachers; the schools merely become a tool for the implementation of various education related policies and production of datasets for the system rather than being independent and creative learning institutions.

Against this context, CBPS conducted a study with the broad objectives of undertaking a comprehensive analysis of the secondary schooling system, compare the access to education and the performance of children from different social groups, and identify key ways in which children from marginalised groups, especially girls, are able to participate more fruitfully in secondary education. In order to do so, we felt that the following factors would help to understand the macro and micro influences on secondary education: government policies and programmes, characteristics of the school including the enrolment, drop-out rates, quality of schools including the availability of teachers, pedagogic practices and social and economic factors including poverty and finally, gender issues that frame secondary education such as sexual harassment, and social barriers for girls’ education.

CBPS. (December, 2020). Quality and systemic functioning in secondary education in India: a study in Andhra Pradesh - Telugu [Policy Brief]. Bengaluru: Centre for Budget and Policy Studies.