The K-12 system has much to offer to make basic education a holistic and enjoyable experience to school going children
The K-12 system of education is about ensuring basic elementary education to students from Kindergarten to the 12th grade. Many countries have made the adoption of this system mandatory. In India too, schools are embracing K12 model of education to align with the concepts of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (education for all) and the Right To Education (RTE). The most significant attribute of K12 is the method of categorising the entire tenure of a student's journey in school into three phases — Kindergarten, Middle, Senior.
Implementation
In India, the K-12 system is being broadly accepted by both Government and private schools in dispensing education to all children. The Government has made primary education free and compulsory. At present, there are around 1.46 million K-12 schools in the country out of which 54 per cent are run by Central/State Government, 21 per cent managed by local authorities/municipal corporations and 25 per cent by the private sector. All the boards including CBSE, CISCE, State Boards, IB and other international boards like IGCSE, CIE etc. are affiliated to the K-12 system.
Purpose
The purpose of the K-12 model is to systemise the distribution of education across all ages of school going children before they go to college. The various kinds of segmentation like level based, board based or ownership based serve to meet specific needs of students. K-12 aims to personalise education by making it more concentrated on relevant needs.
Advantages
Teachers can customise instruction based on the cognitive levels of students. Curriculum is designed including scholastic and non-scholastic activities as per the mental maturity and physical fitness of students.
K-12 system focuses on relevant teacher training as per the levels. Ensures continuous development of students on the academic and non-academic fronts. Focus on building in-depth knowledge, and interest for subject areas. Explore and develop potential in every individual learner. Develop social skills and ability to connect to others.
Challenges in India
In India with each subsequent level, there is an increase in the number of school dropouts, especially in rural areas or among students from disadvantaged groups like the economically backward community or girl children.
Statistics say that student enrolment in private schools is much higher than other schools, as well as drop-out rates are lower as quality of education in terms of infrastructure and availability of resources are better. Hence the private sector can play a significant role in resolving the dearth of quality and accessibility of education.
The K-12 system has much to offer to make basic education a holistic and enjoyable experience to school going children.
(This article is written by Vibha Kagzi, Founder and Chief Education Officer, ReachIvy.com)
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