India’s education system can benefit from proper data collection and analysis: Report

India’s expanding education system can benefit greatly from data collection and analysis but also faces related challenges and risks like poor data privacy, outdated technology, and data fragmentation

India’s expanding education system can benefit greatly from data collection and analysis but also faces related challenges and risks like poor data privacy, outdated technology, and data fragmentation, found new research conducted by Aapti Institute and Mozilla and funded by USAID.

According to the report, data collection efforts are fragmented, with multiple bodies and authorities reaching out to schools at different times for data.

Schools often struggle with the practical application of data. The digital divide poses a significant barrier, especially in rural and underprivileged regions, leading to data gaps which result in skewed policy decisions.

The current data collection model is labour-intensive and fraught with challenges, from manual data entry to the logistical nightmare of paper-based records management.

The involvement of multiple stakeholders, each with different levels of data access and handling capabilities, creates serious data privacy and security risks.

The report recommend the formation of a central agency responsible for the annual collection of educational data through a standardised and rigorous process, coupled with the promotion of open data principles.

Teachers undertaking data entry tasks should receive financial incentives for the additional workload.