Crisis in J&K Classrooms: ASER 2024 Exposes Widespread Illiteracy and Innumeracy

Srinagar: A recent government report has revealed a disturbing decline in literacy and numeracy skills among students in Jammu and Kashmir, raising serious concerns about the state of education in the Union Territory.

According to the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024, more than 52 per cent of Class VIII students in government schools are unable to read even a simple Class II-level text. The report found that only 47.2 per cent of students in government-run schools can read a standard two-level text, a sharp drop from 55.5 per cent in 2018 and 50.2 per cent in 2022. Equally alarming, only 28 per cent of Class VIII students were able to perform basic division in mathematics, exposing a deep-rooted academic crisis.

Education experts have described the findings as a wake-up call. Social activist and advocate Abdul Rashid Hanjura voiced his concern, stating, “The government must take immediate and concrete steps to address this alarming decline. Education is the foundation of progress, and neglecting it will have long-term consequences for our society,”.

Dr. Mohammad Ashraf Shah, a retired Baramulla Degree College principal, echoed these concerns, stating, “The declining learning levels highlight a systemic failure. Without significant reforms in teacher training and curriculum development, we risk failing an entire generation of students,”.

Dr. Farooq Ahmed, an education analyst, warned, "If more than half of our students cannot read at a basic level, we must rethink our teaching methods, curriculum, and teacher training programs,".

Teachers attribute the declining learning outcomes to inadequate training and poor resources. “We are working with outdated teaching materials, large class sizes, and insufficient teacher training programs. Without proper intervention, this crisis will only deepen," said Naseer Shah, a government school teacher from Baramulla in north Kashmir.

Parents, too, have expressed concern. Shakeela Bano, a mother of two school-going children in Anantnag, said, “We send our kids to school hoping they will have a bright future, but if they can't even read a simple paragraph in Class VIII, what does that mean for their future job prospects? The government must take action immediately,”.

Officials from the Jammu and Kashmir Department of School Education have acknowledged the issue and assured corrective measures. “We recognize the decline in learning outcomes and are working on interventions such as remedial classes, improved teacher training, and curriculum revamping. The focus is on strengthening foundational literacy and numeracy skills from primary school itself,” a senior official stated on condition of anonymity.

The situation is particularly concerning in rural areas, where access to quality education remains a challenge. While enrollment rates remain high beyond the age of 14, the quality of education has failed to keep pace. A lack of skilled teachers, poor infrastructure, and limited digital learning resources continue to widen the gap between urban and rural students.

Manzoor Anjum, editor-in-chief of ‘Daily Uqaab’, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “The education crisis is worsening, and without urgent and strategic intervention, the consequences could be far-reaching, affecting not only individual students but also the overall development of Jammu and Kashmir."

As the education crisis deepens, experts agree that immediate and strategic interventions are necessary. If left unaddressed, the consequences could be far-reaching, affecting not only individual students but also the overall development of Jammu and Kashmir.