Establishing Routes for Sustainable Education
Examining the role of schooling in the cognitive and wider development of children in the province of Punjab (Pakistan) and State of Gujarat (India).
About the project
Professor Pauline Dixon is involved in a British Academy project. It examines the role of schooling in India and Pakistan.
The work is led by Professor Nadia Siddiqui from Durham University, with Professor Stephen Gorard and Professor Professor Beng Huat.
School enrolment of around 80% in India and Pakistan is lower than targets associated with the Sustainable Development Goals. Functional levels of literacy and numeracy are inadequate even for many young children who are enrolled in school. The study, based on 1,500 young children from one Province in Pakistan and one State in India, examines patterns of enrolment of children and school readiness by:
- socioeconomic group
- family background
- urban/rural locations
- individual characteristics such as gender
Their attendance and progress at school is tracked over one year. This demonstrates how much of a difference school attendance can make to children’s cognitive development and health outcomes. In-depth information from families and communities is being gathered around their views of schools and any barriers to attendance the family may face.