Budget 2023 Education | Cheers over announcements, frowns over allocation
The education sector had mixed reactions to the allocation and announcements made for the industry in the Union Budget 2023-24 placed by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday (February 1). While some lauded the announcement of a National Digital Library for Children and Adolescents, many were unhappy with the Education Ministry’s meagre share of 2.5% in the overall Budget. The share came down marginally from 2.64% in the last Budget.
The thrust on encouraging reading habits by establishing local-level physical libraries was significant, especially at a time when the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2022 released by NGO Pratham Foundation recently confirmed that the basic reading ability of students in the 5–16 age group dropped sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic. The report states that only 20.5% of Class III students in both government and private schools can read at least at Class II level, while 42.8% of Class V students could read at least a Class II text.
Libraries a welcome move
Teachers felt the National Digital Library and physical libraries at the ward and panchayat levels can give a fillip to reading habits among children. Also, the National Book Trust and the Children’s Book Trust have been asked to contribute with content in regional languages as well as English. A Delhi-based teacher told the Indian Express that the Budget would ensure the implementation of National Education Policy at the micro-level. Indeed, the target of the digital library is to “build a culture of reading and make up for pandemic-time learning loss,” according to the Budget speech.
Others appreciated the emphasis on skill development. The Finance Minister has proposed that the District Institutes of Education and Training will be developed as “vibrant institutes of excellence” to train teachers. Another teacher told Indian Express that she was happy to see the mention of teacher training, capacity-building programmes, and a culture of reading in a Union Budget. She said it was highly encouraging to see the Budget’s focus. She felt establishing district training centres for teachers will revolutionise school education across India.
Focus on training
Another teacher welcomed the Budget’s intent to bring about innovations in pedagogy and curriculum in teachers’ training. According to the FM’s announcement, teacher training will be “re-envisioned through innovative pedagogy, curriculum transaction, continuous professional development, dipstick surveys, and ICT implementation.”
Teachers also welcomed the emphasis on tribal education with the 740 Eklavya Model Residential Schools announced by Sitharaman. For these schools, the Centre will recruit 38,800 teachers and support staff over the next three years, which will increase job opportunities for teachers at a time when many have been protesting over the lack of employment opportunities.
However, many pointed out that increasing the number of nursing colleges was not so important as beefing up the infrastructure and skill base at the existing medical and nursing colleges. Also, Opposition Congress hit out at the Centre over the reduction in the percentage of education allocation in the Budget compared to last year.
(With agency inputs)
