New Delhi: Taking note of various studies and surveys showing poor learning capacity of students especially at the elementary level, a Parliamentary panel has suggested introduction of "peer education system" as an option to address the issue.
"Under this concept, a higher grade student can adopt a low grade student and start teaching him. This would help the teaching student make his base strong. As an incentive, a provision of stipend could also be made available for him," the panel said.
In its report tabled in Parliament today, the panel said the concept would go a long way in enhancing learning capacity of children and asked the HRD Ministry "to take note of this".
Various reports, including the recently released Annual Status of Education Report, has said proportion of children in Class V who are able to read standard II level text books has dropped from 53.07 per cent in 2010 to 48.2 per cent in 2011.
The HRD Ministry blames this to text books designed with unrealistic expectations from students. It has asked the states to revise the course curriculum.
The Panel, which examined the progress of Right to Education, asked the Ministry to take up the issue of inadequacy of infrastructure facilities in schools with the states "on an urgent basis".
It underlined this while taking note of the fact that one year remains for the states to comply with RTE norms. "The committee is not hopeful of the parameter being complied with," it said.
PTI
