July 26, 2015
Abstract: Three key inferences about school education can be drawn based on 2014 National Sample Survey data, namely:
- Physical access to schools is a significant determinant of whether kids enrol and attend regularly. Minimizing travel distance, time and effort required should be a key policy objective. There has been overall progress on this front, though there is considerable variation across states;
- Use of supplementary services i.e., private coaching has increased as kids grow older, but there is variation across gender with greater access for boys; and
- Access for and ability to use computers and the internet (i.e., digital access) remains inadequate.
It is imperative that the new education policy draws upon objective analysis of these data as well as the wealth of other available evidence on what works and what does not.
Keywords: education and development; public policy; education and inequality; data methodology; Welfare Economics
