Kolkata: West Bengal ranked first in the index on foundational learning, published in a report on Foundation Literacy and Numeracy, which was released by the Prime Minister’s economic advisory council and the Institute for Competitiveness, Stanford.
Applauding the state’s performance, the state Education minister Bratya Basu tweeted: “This is another feather in the crown of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The report published by the Prime Minister’s economic adviser and Institute for Competitiveness, Stanford University, shows that West Bengal scored 54.58 and ranked first among the large states.”
Trinamool Congress (TMC) Rajya Sabha member Jawhar Sircar also shared the report on social media while quoting the headline of a news media statement, “West Bengal on top, Uttar Pradesh at bottom of index for literacy among children below 10 years.” Sircar also congratulated Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
The survey is based on the performance of schools across the country and is divided into two sections based on large states and small states and Union Territories, including the northeastern states. The report is based on five basic parameters which include basic health, access to education and educational infrastructure, amongst others.
The report was released by the chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister Bibek Debroy on Friday. It highlights the focus on language as a critical foundational skill. The second edition was released at the India Dialogue Conference organised by the Institute of Competitiveness and US-Asia Technology Management Center, Stanford University.