Universal Elementary Education-The Question of How

The Question of 'How' Rashmi Sharma The question of how elementary education can and should be made universal has not received the attention' it deserves. Two issues need to be highlighted. Firstly, studies show that an alarmingly targe number of children do not become literate even after four years of schooling. Therefore school effectiveness and actual learning have to be central rather than secondary concerns for universal elementary education. Secondly, how effective schools are and success in learning depend not only on school level inputs but also on factors outside the school. For genuine universal elementary education, the impact of the wider context on schooling has to be understood better, Measures that mitigate the worst effects of poverty on children and creation of rural infrastructure are necessary for education that is effective and empowering.