How Asian Economies Succeeded Through Quality Secondary Education
The Asian economies’ remarkable performance can be attributed to a proactive state that prioritized the completion of secondary and vocational education. It made it clear that India’s plan for higher-paying jobs is insufficient if employability and higher-order education are not given enough attention.
Research from around the globe has demonstrated how nations with high PISA rankings—including Japan, Canada, Finland, Singapore, and the Shanghai region of China—have placed a high priority on quality through a comprehensive approach that has boosted teachers’ self-esteem and competency while allowing them to experiment and innovate widely.
The Unnikrishnan Verdict and Its Long-Term Impact on Indian Schooling
After the Unnikrishnan verdict, which declared education up to the age of 14 a fundamental right, primary education in India gained significance while secondary education received less attention in public initiatives. There is still a weak correlation between higher-paying occupations or enterprises and technical education received in schools. We started working on a Public Report on Secondary Education (PROSE) in 2024 to find out what the system is offering students between the ages of 14 and 21 and to find out more about their human capital requirements.
Inclusive Progress: SC/ST and Girls’ Participation in Secondary Education
The secondary school system has seen a significant increase in the participation of girls and children from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Enrollment rates for males and girls are equivalent in many regions that were previously weak in terms of education. This is undoubtedly a significant achievement. This has also been aided by the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan’s (SSA) emphasis on basic education and other incentive schemes like uniforms, scholarships, and cycles for girls. The no-detention policy has also led to fewer dropouts, despite the poor learning outcomes. Each region and social group has a different number of years of education. Despite improvements in the number of teenage girls pursuing higher education, marriage remains a major barrier.
Persistent Inequity in Infrastructure and Teacher Availability
In terms of teachers, school infrastructure, administration, maintenance, labs, libraries, computers, sports facilities, and science education, secondary schools in various states and districts are also not equally prepared. Subject-specific teachers are needed in senior secondary schools; however, governments are apparently having problems regularly filling teacher vacancies. Ad hoc arrangements, including contract instructors, guest teachers, re-employed teachers, borrowed teachers, and so on, are used by most schools. The way that science is taught in various states also varies greatly. Private schools have taken control, but they can’t make up for the dearth of good science education.
Cost Disparities Across Public Secondary Schools
While conventional state-run higher secondary schools with limited support cost ₹65,000, residential schools in Telangana cost ₹2 lakh annually, Navodaya schools (NVSs) cost ₹1.5 lakh, and Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVSs) cost ₹65,000. PM SHRI resources were necessary even for well-funded NVSs and KVSs that lacked academic resources. States have started focusing on a small number of model schools while ignoring the others. The financial crisis and the poor governance of many organizations are both real. The role of local governments and school management committees is still limited in the decentralized administration of schools. This seems to affect academic achievement.
Governance Gaps and the Need for Decentralized Management
Thirdly, even the best secondary government institutions are not well-maintained. Although it exists, the School Development and Management Committee is a weak organization that only collects development fees and a small amount of government support for school upkeep and maintenance. Since many of them require modernization and more decentralized management, akin to community institutions, polytechnics, and industrial training institutes, are in a worse position. It takes institutional autonomy, community accountability, and oversight by local government organizations to fix the broken highway before results are seen.
Fourth, classes are beginning to use smart boards. However, pre-recorded YouTube videos are often used as a substitute in schools with a shortage of teachers. For conceptual understanding, where students need active instruction and teacher involvement, the pre-recorded information is better suited for review. Perhaps a mixed learning environment would be more appropriate.
Unlocking Potential Through Atal Tinkering Labs and STEM Education
Fifth, Atal Tinkering Labs offer students access to the realm of imagination and experimentation, and they work best in educational institutions with capable instructors who can guide students in making the most of the opportunity. In schools where there are not enough scientific teachers, the lab is rarely used. States should be urged to give priority to filling scientific teacher vacancies so that the Atal Tinkering Lab can achieve its objectives.
Sixth, children want to learn, and most teachers want to teach. Evaluation of teacher performance is necessary to ensure even better outcomes. Composite schools from Class KG to Class XII have been established in numerous states to address the issues of extremely small schools and the dysfunction of the educational system. Preliminary research indicates that composite schools offer young children greater learning opportunities, especially if the principal has been selected for their leadership qualities and a sizeable budget has been allocated for teachers and classroom supplies.
Secondary Education Reform as a Pathway to Higher Income and Productivity
Seventh, principals who solicit community involvement seem to do better. Through local governments, decentralized community action tackles the problems of better upkeep, teacher shortages, innovations, experimentation, and extracurricular activities. Every successful school leader earns the confidence of the community. We must do everything in our power to enhance educational and skill results, since there is a real chance that we will pass away before we become wealthy. Secondary education merits attention since it is crucial to raising productivity and salaries, two significant barriers to India’s economic growth.
This editorial is inspired by and based on the article “Secondary education needs to improve,” originally published in Business Line on 06 June 2025. Full credit to the original publishers for highlighting the critical importance of secondary and vocational education in India’s development discourse.