Concerned over NAS report, Goa CM calls for focused efforts to improve maths learning

PANAJI: Expressing concern over the findings of the National Achievement Survey (NAS) which stated that Goa has fallen below the national average in certain areas of education, chief minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday met with officials and said that "focused" efforts will be made to improve the learning outcomes of mathematics in students.

The National Achievement Survey (NAS) is a representative large-scale survey of students' learning undertaken by the Union Ministry of Education. The NAS gives a system-level reflection on the effectiveness of school education. Its findings help compare the performance across the spectrum and across the population to find the desired direction for improvements.

“Chaired a meeting with the Department of Education. We are concerned over the data of the National Achievement Survey Report as Goa falls below the national average in certain areas. Focussed efforts will be made to improve the learning outcomes in Mathematics of students in Goa," Sawant tweeted. He also said the state government was considering the implementation of CCS rules for employees at aided schools.

Chaired a meeting with the Department of Education.

We are concerned over the data of National Achievement Survey Report as Goa falls below national average in certain areas. Focussed efforts will be made to improve the learning outcomes in Mathematics of students in Goa. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/n0RGgnyd8P

— Dr. Pramod Sawant (@DrPramodPSawant) June 7, 2022

Also read | Space short, MBBS students of UP medical college allege they took turns to go to class

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Sawant said the government-run schools should not be only blamed for the poor performance as they cater to only 20 per cent of the student population in the state. The chief minister said the state government is seriously concerned about the NAS report 2021. He said 80 percent of students study in aided schools in Goa and the government provides them grant-in-aid for support. Sawant also said that teachers should be in teaching “full time” without having any side business that causes distraction.

The chief minister, who also holds the Education portfolio, said the number of schools run by the state government has come down considerably due to the increase in the number of government-aided schools. Sawant said aides schools must improve performance as it is the government that pays for salaries and provides other grant-in-aid support.

Also read | NAS 2021: Class 3 to Class 8, SC, SC, OBC students steadily fall behind peers

The NAS 2021 has indicated that students from Goa have shown poor performance as compared to the national average in mathematics, languages, social sciences and sciences. "In mathematics, we are below the national average. The national average is 32 percent and we are 30 percent for Class 10. In Class 8, the national average is 36 percent and we are at 32 percent. In Class 5, the national average is 44 percent and we are 39 percent, " the chief minister said. For Class 3, the national average is 57 percent and we are 55 percent, he added.