ASER report finds huge drop in learning levels in Karnataka

42.6% of students in class I unable to recognise numbers; 56.8% cannot read letters

The Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), which was drawn up in March 2021 in only Karnataka this year, found a huge drop in learning levels in both reading and numeracy, especially for primary classes. What is worrying is that the survey, which was released on Monday, reported nearly a year of ‘learning loss’ among students across the State. A press release issued by Pratham, the organisation that conducts the survey, stated that the decline in foundational skills is visible throughout the elementary grades, among students enrolled in government and as well as private schools. It found that 56.8% of class I students surveyed could not read letters. In comparison, the 2018 report stated that 40% of class I students were unable to read letters. This is a drop of over 16 percentage points.