Increasing number of rural parents enrolling their children in private schools: Report

Private schools are more popular than government schools in rural India and the enrolment in these schools has been steadily rising since 2006. According to the latest Annual Status of Education Report (Rural) 2024, covering 6.5 lakh children across 18,000 villages in 605 rural districts, most parents choose private schools for their children.

In early 2006, only 18.7 % of children aged 6-14 attended private schools. By 2014, this jumped to 30.8 %, and the numbers have only gone up. More parents trust private schools for their children. Better facilities or quality education could be the driving factors.

The Covid-19 pandemic changed everything. Many families faced financial struggles, and schools shut down. It led to a sharp increase in government school enrolment, rising from 65.6 % in 2018 to 72.9 % in 2022. But in 2024, things changed again. Government school enrolment dropped to 66.8 %, similar to pre-pandemic levels. At the same time, private schools regained students in most states.

As the economy improves, more parents prefer private schools for better facilities, quality teaching, or hope for a brighter future for their children, according to report.

Still, overall school enrolment remains high at 98.1 %, only slightly lower than 98.4 % in 2022. It shows that most children in rural India still attend school, no matter the shift between government and private institutions.

Girls’ education improved

Girls' education in rural India has improved as per the report. However, challenges persist for older girls (15-16 years) whose dropout rates are still high in a few states. In 2018, 13.5 % of girls in this age bracket were not in school. In 2022, it dropped significantly to 7.9 %. But in 2024, the number increased to 8.1 %. While states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh have near-universal enrolment, with dropout rates close to just one %, others still struggle.

Madhya Pradesh (16.1 %), Uttar Pradesh (15 %), and Rajasthan (12.7 %) have the highest dropout rates, followed closely by Mizoram (12.2 %), Gujarat (10.5 %), and Chhattisgarh (10 %). The reasons for these dropouts could range from financial struggles and household responsibilities to early marriages or a lack of nearby schools for higher education.

Improvement in government schools

All-India figures indicate that reading levels have improved for children in government schools in all elementary grades (Std I-VIII) since 2022. Nationally, in 2024, basic reading levels for Std III children enroled in government schools were the highest that they had been since the inception of the ASER survey.

However, this figure is still below the 2018 mark for private schools. The same is the case for students of standard III and VIII. Arithmetic proficiency follows a similar trend. In government schools, the percentage of standard III students able to solve a basic subtraction problem improved by 4.4 % in 2024 from 2022. In comparison, private school students saw a comparatively smaller increase.

Digital Literacy

Digital literacy among 14-16-year-olds remains a major dividing factor between private and government schools. Although 90 % of children in this bracket had access to a smartphone at home, ownership remains limited, with only 37.8 % of 16-year-olds and 27 % of 14-year-olds possessing their own devices.

Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu report higher digital literacy, with over 90 % of students able to perform basic digital tasks. In contrast, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Madhya Pradesh lag in smartphone access and usage.

Fifty-seven % of students reported using smartphones for educational purposes the week before the survey. At least 76 % used it for social media, with boys being more active than girls. Among the states, Kerala leads in digital engagement, with over 80 % of students using smartphones for learning and more than 90 % for social media.

School infrastructure

There have been gradual improvements in school infrastructure, but gaps still exist. For instance, facilities like usable girls' toilets, drinking water availability and library book usage increased from 2018 to 2024, according to report.

The issue of electricity availability in schools remains a challenge. While many schools report having an electricity connection, the power supply is unreliable. 72.6 % of schools do not have computers for students. Among those that did, only 16.2 % had computers in working condition and were being used. Internet access is not widely available in rural schools, limiting digital learning opportunities.