Ranchi: The Jharkhand Education Project Council (JEPC) has directed all elementary schools across the state to strengthen foundational learning by conducting regular reading, dictation and practice sessions for students in the foundational stage. Schools have also been asked to prominently display prescribed learning material, including painting it on verandah walls wherever feasible, to ensure continuous reinforcement of basic literacy and numeracy concepts.In a communication issued to all District Education Officers (DEOs), District Superintendents of Education (DSEs) and additional district programme officers, JEPC state project director Shashi Ranjan said the department has been providing free textbooks and other learning material to elementary school students, but continuous efforts are needed to further improve foundational learning outcomes. Sources said that Ranjan shot the directives last Friday.According to UDISE+ 2024-25, Jharkhand has 23,149 primary schools, where the instructions will be implemented. The prescribed learning material has also been uploaded on the J-Guruji App for use by schools.The letter instructs schools to ensure that students regularly practise the material through reading aloud, dictation and classroom exercises as part of the daily teaching-learning process.The renewed focus on foundational learning comes as Jharkhand continues to trail the national average in the NCERT PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024. The state scored 55 per cent in language against the national average of 64 per cent, while in mathematics it recorded 51 per cent compared with the national average of 60 per cent. However, Bokaro, Deoghar, Dhanbad, East Singhbhum and Khunti were placed in the survey’s highest “Udit” (excelling) category.Abhishek Jha, district education officer, Dhanbad, said the district’s performance has been driven by sustained implementation of the Mera Vidyalaya NIPUN, Main Bhi NIPUN. “Teachers undergo regular training under the mission to strengthen Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN). We extensively use Teaching Learning Material (TLM) and activity-based classroom practices so children learn through engagement rather than rote methods. These interventions have helped improve students’ foundational skills,” he said.
