STUDY OF THE INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT: A CASE OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AT ELEMENTARY LEVEL IN THE SCHOOLS OF NCT OF DELHI

Over the past two decade since the beginning of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) programme in india, there has been a significant increase in the number of schools and in the enrolment of children in Government schools, most notably a large proportion of children from amongst Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Muslims and Girls have joined the schooling system. Most of these children are also first-generation learners. In this regard SCERT Delhi conducted an achievement survey for classes II, V and VIII and gathered the information about the academic environment pertaining to school, teachers and students. This study reflected the background of the students such as locality, parents education, community and the same was followed of the teachers and schools. Majority of the sampled schools (71%) were managed by Municipal Corporation. More than 80% schools were located in urban areas and about half of the schools were Co-Educational, while 22% and 28% schools were Boys and Girls schools respectively. About 96% of schools responded that they have the provision to monitor classroom teaching regularly and 92% of the schools were monitored by the Head of the school. Fathers of 2% students and 0.6% mothers were in the academic field. In the surveyed schools, 28% were male and 72% were female teachers. Majority of teachers (54%) had attended in-service training programmes. In more than ninety percent of the sampled schools Maps, Charts, Globe, Mathematics kit and Library were available. About 90% and 98% of the schools annual medical check-up facility and first aid facilities were available Nearly 70% students reported that their homework was checked regularly. This document has helped education planners as a reference research document to improve the education administration and planning systems in the state.


ISSN: 2320-5407
Int. J. Adv. Res. 9(07), 183-188 184 also come from very impoverished socio-economic backgrounds, present unique challenges for the education system to adequately support the diverse learning needs of students. While high enrolment and diverse classrooms is a sign of healthy inclusion and participation in the education system, it is equally important that all children receive good quality education. One of the key indicators of quality education is to understand whether children's learning achievement is improving over time in an equitable manner. In this regard SCERT Delhi conducted an achievement survey for classes II, V and VIII in 2015 and results were shared and published. In its second round, SCERT conducted surveys for classes III, V and VIII in 2015- 16. Objective of the study:- 1. To analyze the achievement level of students on the variables such as gender, area, category and management type of school. 2. To explore the institutional background variables (school, pupil and teacher) this affects achievement of students.

Tool Administration
The tools i.e., Achievement Tests and Questionnaires were administered upon the selected sample students, schools, and teachers. After the administration of the tools, the data gathered was sorted, cleaned and tabulated for analysis.

Analysis of Data
In the State Level Achievement Survey data was analyzed using Classical Test Theory (CTT) and Item Response Theory (IRT). Throughout this study the results are reported using 'Scale Scores', calculated using IRT, which are placed on a scale from 0 to 500 with a Mean of 250 and Standard Deviation of 50 along with percentage correct i.e. percentage of students attempting items /test correctly using CTT. Scaled scores are computed by statistically adjusting and converting raw scores onto a common scale to account for differences in difficulty levels of test items.

Findings of Institutional Environment on Students Achievements.
Level: Class III Schools 1. Management: Majority of the Class III sampled schools (71%) were managed by Municipal Corporation. 2. Location: More than 80% of schools were located in urban areas.
3. School population type: About half of the schools were Co-Educational while 22% and 28% schools were Boys and Girls schools respectively. 4. Monitoring: About 96% of schools responded that they have the provision to monitor classroom teaching regularly and 92% of the schools were monitored by the Head of the school. 5. Evaluation: CCE scheme is being implemented in 96% Schools, about three fourth of the schools sampled have received the guidelines on CCE implementation and 89% schools have received instructional material on CCE. About 72% of Schools had received training based on CCE. 6. Time table: Nearly 58% of schools followed 8 periods in a day to teach the students. Duration of each period in 34% schools was 35 minutes and in 31% schools each period was 30 minutes. 7. Community support: In more than 50% of schools , the Parent Teacher Association and School Management Committee were present. 8. Learning aids: Maps, Charts, Globe, Mathematics kit and Library were available in more than ninety percent of the sampled schools. Science kits were available in about 88% of the schools. 9. Health survey: In 90% of the schools' annual medical check-up was done and in 99% schools first aid kits were available. 10. Type of building: Only 1% of schools were running in Kaccha Buildings. 11. Infrastructure: Almost all the schools had the basic facilities of Electric connection. 12. Toiletries: About 99% of the schools had toilet facilities and separate toilets for girls were available in 93% of schools. 13. Sports facilities: More than 90% of schools had facilities of sports and games material, safe drinking water and mats and furniture. 14. Drinking water: More than 90% of schools had facilities of safe drinking water. 15. Students 16. Student's sex ratio: 49% students were boys and 51% were girls. 17. Social status: In the survey, 11% students belonged to 'SC' category, 6% students belonged to 'ST' category, 10% students belonged to 'OBC' category and 73% students belonged to 'Others' category. 18. Divangyata (differently abled): Only 2% students in the Class III sample were differently able. 19. Preschool readiness: About 58% of students attended pre-primary classes. 20. Subject liking: Language (Hindi) subjects were liked by 76% of students, whereas 61% of students liked Mathematics. About 63% students in Language (Hindi) and 52% in Mathematics viewed their performance as good in the given subjects. 21. Home assignment: Nearly 71% and 73% of students responded that they got homework regularly respectively.
About 70% of students' homework in Language and Mathematics was regularly checked by teachers. 22. Availability of textbooks: Textbooks in Language and Mathematics were available to 98% of the Class III students. 23. School time willingness: More than 90% of students liked to be in school. 24. Library: Facilities such as the Library (96%), Newspaper (57%), Magazines (42%), storybooks/comics (75%) 25. ICT facilities: computers (62%) and internet connections (43%) were available to students in school. Facilities such as Television (94%), Newspaper (32%), Magazines (14%), storybooks/comics (40%), computers (12%) and internet connections (8%) were available to the students at home. 26. Medium of instruction: About 77% of students used the same language at home as used for instruction in school. 27. Academic support at home: About 73% of students get help in studies at home and 65% students take private tuitions. 28. Home engagements: Majority of the students indulged in playing (98%) followed by chatting (92%), drawing (85%), cleaning (68%), interaction (61%) and Cooking (42%) at home. 29. Parent's/guardian education: Only 3% fathers and 2% mothers of Class III students were educated up to Degree level and above and 18% fathers and 33% mothers were illiterate. 30. Parent's/guardian vocation and works: More than half of the students' fathers were agricultural laborers, domestic servants, daily wagers or street vendors followed by skilled workers, office workers, shopkeepers or businessmen (34%). Most of the mothers were either unemployed or housewives (70%). Only 2% fathers and 0.4% mothers were holding posts at the level of manager, senior officer or professional. Fathers of 2% students and 0.6% mothers were in the academic field.

Teachers sex ratio:
In the surveyed schools, 28% were male and 72% were female teachers. 2. Age demography: Most of the teachers (40%) fall in the age group of 31-40 years followed by 33% fall in the group below 30 years. There were 8% teachers who were in the age group of 51-65 years. 3. Social status: Majority (57%) proportion of teachers fall in the category of 'Others', 21% teachers were 'OBC', 14% were 'SC' and only 8% teachers were under 'ST' category. 4. Education qualifications: About 40% teachers were having Post Graduation qualification and 48% were having Graduation in the sample. About half of teachers were holding elementary teacher training certificates followed by 47% teachers holding graduate level qualification and only 0.8 % teachers were untrained. 5. In-service academic support: Majority of teachers (54%) had attended in-service training programmes and 51% teachers had received only 1-day training programme and 42% teachers had received 2-3 days training programme. 6. Use of TLM: For teachg and learning, Self-prepared TLM, Mathematics kit, globe, maps and charts were reported to be used by more than ninety percent of teachers. About two third teachers regularly used selfprepared TLM. 7. Syllabus planning: More than three fourths of the teachers reported that they maintained teachers' diaries regularly. 8. TLM grant: The TLM grant was received by only 18% of teachers. 9. Textbooks book used: About 87% of the Class III teachers were using the revised text books based on the NCF-2005. 10. Level Class V 11. Schools 12. Management type: About three fourth of the Class V sampled schools were managed by Municipal Corporation. 13. Geographical demography: Nearly 82% schools were from Urban areas and 18% of schools were located in Rural areas. 14. School population type: Half of the sampled schools were co-educational schools, while 22% and 27% schools were Boys and Girls schools respectively. 15. School readiness: About three fourth schools were providing education from class 1 -V. 16. Monitoring: In 95% of the schools, provision to monitor classroom teaching regularly was observed and in 92% Schools monitoring was done by the Head of the School. 17. Evaluation: In 96% Schools, the CCE scheme was being implemented and 75% of schools had received the guidelines on CCE implementation. About 89% surveyed schools had received instructional material on CCE and 71% of the Schools had received training based on CCE. 18. Time table: Nearly 60% of schools followed 8 periods in a working day to teach the students. in 35% schools each period was of 35 minutes and in 32% schools one period was of 30 minutes. 19. Community support: Parent Teacher Association and School Management Committee were present in more than half of the schools. 20. Learning aids: In more than ninety percent of the sampled schools Maps, Charts, Globe, Mathematics kit and Library were available. 21. Health survey: About 90% and 98% of the school's annual medical check-up facility and first aid facilities were available. 22. Music facilities: The musical instruments were available in 51% of the sampled schools. 23. Building type: Only 10% and 1% schools were running in Partial pakka and Kaccha Buildings. 24. Electricity: Almost all the schools had the basic facility of Electric connection. 25. Sports and space adequacy: Playground, separate classrooms for each section and barrier free access was available in more than eighty percent of the schools. 26. Drinking water and toiletries: Safe and adequate drinking water, toilet facilities and mats and furniture were available in more than 95% of the schools. About 99% percent schools were having toilet facilities and separate toilets for girls were available in 91% schools.

Student's sex ratio:
Overall the Class V sample comprised 49% boys and 51% girls. 2. Social status: In the survey, 16% students belonged to 'SC' category, 3% students belonged to 'ST' category, 9% students belonged to 'OBC' category and 72% students belonged to 'Others' category. 3. Divangyata (differently abled): In the sample, only 1% of students were differently abled. 4. School readiness: Nearly, 51% of students had attended pre-primary classes. 5. Subject liking: About 77% and 53% of students liked Language (Hindi) and Mathematics subjects respectively. About 66% students in Language and 51% in Mathematics viewed their performance as good in the given subjects. In Language, 71% students and 73% students in Mathematics reported that they got homework regularly. 6. Home assignment: About 70% and 60% students responded that their homework was checked regularly in Mathematics and Language respectively. 7. Textbook books: About 96% of students reported that they had Language and Mathematics textbooks. 8. School liking: Nearly ninety percent of students liked to be in school. 9. Reading facilities and ICT : Facilities such as Library (85%), Newspaper (56%), Magazines (43%), storybooks/comics (72%), computers (62%) and internet connection (37%) were available to the students in the schools. Facilities such as Television (95%), Newspaper (32%), Magazines (17%), storybooks/comics (48%), computers (20%) and internet connection (13%) were available to the students at home. 10. Mode of instructions: About 79% of students used the same language at home as used for instruction in school. 11. Teachers 12. Sex ratio: In the surveyed schools, the majority of the teachers were female (71%) and 29% were male teachers.