Universalisation of Secondary Education: Questions for Discussion and Debate

Abstract

The paper highlights key challenges facing the Government of India’s welcome initiative of Universalisation of Secondary Education. The challenges identified are in five areas: political will and social commitment, policy design and implementation, quality, inequality and governance. Five broad questions are raised for deliberation and debate. First, how adequate is the level of political will and social commitment to universalise secondary education? Second, how realistic and implementable are this designs of the recent initiatives announced by the Government of India? Third, are the planned measures to improve the quality of education adequate to produce the desired outcomes? Fourth, are the recommended interventions to reduce inequality likely to produce equitable outcomes by 2020? And finally, are the measures planned by the initiatives to improve governance sufficient and appropriate?