Universalisation of Primary Education

The book examines the state of elementary education in the context of the tall predictions made and the poor achievements registered. It employs correlations between in house and outside support functions and education to determine the functions contributing to the attainment of education levels. The record of illustrative developed and developing countries is cited to establish the point that whilst the concept of total literacy is moving forward, the goal of achieving five years of education for all remains elusive. The objective can be realised only if concerted efforts are made to harness public enthusiasm and community mobilisation by knitting together policy, data base, management and organizational structure. Policy makers should also delineate a specific implementing strategy to achieve ‘universalisation of primary education’ in a definite time frame. In the absense of a thorough reorientation of approach on these lines, the periodic tinkering witnessed so far, argues the author, will only accelerate the slide down on the educational front.