Understanding the nature of participation of learners in elementary education in municipal schools of Surendranagar

Abstract

The present study is about the nature of participation of learners in elementary education in municipal schools. The study focuses on the learners who have continued in the same school from Classes I to VIII. The learners in municipal schools are facilitated by the various government initiatives to provide them aid to their continuation in schooling. There are several aspects which individually or in combination might have influenced the learners’ participation in elementary education. Thus, it becomes necessary to gain an understanding of learners, their background, the school where the learners study, the broader framework of government initiatives as to know how different stakeholders – learners, schools and parents in Surendranagar city have participated in elementary education of learners. The present study identified all the 22 municipal elementary schools of Surendranagar city, 490 learners who had completed eight years of elementary education continuously in the 22 municipal elementary schools of Surendranagar, 63 teachers of these schools who had taught these learners during the eight years, 22 principals of these elementary schools and 35 parents of these learners as sample. The data have been collected through the school documents, observation by investigator and also by interacting with different stakeholders. In order to discern the nature of participation of learners, the data of background of learners and school profile were collated and attempt has been made to arrive at a composite view and is presented at appropriate places. These made it possible to identify different combinations of factors that emerge revealing a co existence of particular aspects in case of learners’ participation in elementary education. The findings of the present study revealed that low education and economic background of family and high aspiration of learners and parents made learners to continue in the school where the learners received the facilities in the school which they did not have at home. Schools created enabling environment and learners get attention of teachers which attracted learners and made them to participate in schooling.