July 6, 2023: 4th July, 2023: Who is Manjul Bhargava? What does he mean by strong literary foundation? What is G20? Keep reading to know more!
Renowned Indian-American mathematician Manjul Bhargava has called for the commitment of G20 countries1 to ensure that all children entering the third grade have foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) skills by 2033.
Mr. Bhargava, who is part of the Education Ministry's panel working on the National Curriculum Framework (NCF), highlighted the need for dedicated funding, resources, legislation, and international agreements to ensure the successful attainment of this objective.
Who is Manjul Bhargava?
Manjul Bhargava is a renowned Indian-American mathematician who has made significant contributions to the field of number theory.
Born on August 8, 1974, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, he holds dual citizenship of Canada and the United States.
Mr. Bhargava obtained his education from top institutions, including Harvard University and Princeton University, where he completed his Ph.D. in mathematics.
Mr. Bhargava has been involved in education and curriculum development. He has served as a member of panels and committees related to mathematics education in India, including the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) committee. Bhargava's support for Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) reflects his dedication to promoting quality education and ensuring that all children have access to essential skills for their development.
Foundational literacy- includes the skills and strategies involved in reading, speaking, writing and interpreting.
Numeracy- It is the ability to reason and to apply simple numerical concepts.
What are the G20 countries1?
As the name suggests, it's a Group of 19 countries and EU2 (European Nations)
| Argentina | Australia | Brazil | Canada | China |
| France | Germany | India | Indonesia | Italy |
| Japan | Republic of Korea | Mexico | Russia | Saudi Arabia |
| South Africa | Turkey | The United Kingdom | The United States | The European Union (EU2 Nations) |
The G20 countries represent the world's major economies and they come together to discuss and coordinate on various economic and financial issues, as well as other global challenges.
Back to the main article:
During the fourth and final meeting of the G20 Education Working Group (EWG), Mr. Bhargava highlighted the existence of an important learning crisis concerning fundamental skills based on various surveys.
He emphasized the importance of G20 countries committing to providing foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) for all children entering the third grade by 2033.
Mr. Bhargava expressed hope that this commitment could be made during the upcoming G20 Education Ministers' meeting. He also stressed the need for ongoing collaboration among G20 member countries and the global community, encouraging the sharing of experiences, best practices, and lessons learned to promote foundational learning.
Mr. Bhargava stated that dedicated funding, sufficient resources, legislative measures, and international commitments, particularly from the G20 and other countries, are necessary to ensure the achievement of universal foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN).
Additionally, Mr. Bhargava emphasized the importance of a curriculum that is developmentally appropriate, responsive, and relevant to the needs and interests of learners at different stages of their development. Foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) encompass the abilities to read and write simple text and perform basic numerical operations.
Mr. Bhargava highlighted that when students fall behind in acquiring these foundational skills, they often struggle to catch up, leading to persistently stagnant learning progress. This can serve as a significant barrier to attending school or result in students dropping out altogether. Surveys indicate the existence of a severe learning crisis surrounding these fundamental skills.
Stagnant- lack of development or advancement
Dropping out- to leave school, college, etc. without finishing your studies.
Why is Foundational learning important?
Foundational learning serves as the fundamental building blocks for acquiring other knowledge and higher-order skills during education. Literacy and numeracy play a vital role in enabling children and youth to learn, experiment, reason, create, become active and informed citizens, and contribute socially, culturally, and economically.
As per UNESCO, attaining universal primary and secondary education has the potential to uplift over 420 million individuals out of poverty, leading to a reduction of more than half in the global poverty count. Mr. Bhargava highlighted that there has been a significant increase in school enrollment since 2000, resulting in nearly a 50% decrease in the number of children and youth who are out of school.
According to Mr. Bhargava, foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) skills are not only crucial for future learning but are also strongly linked to improved quality of life and well-being for individuals, as well as enhanced stability and prosperity for nations. FLN skills provide a solid foundation that supports progress across all other Sustainable Development Goals.
Mr. Bhargava made several recommendations to achieve universal foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN). These include expanding and ensuring universal access to quality Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programs, focusing on FLN in the curriculum, enhancing teacher capacity, prioritizing nutrition and health, involving parents and communities, and allocating funds to ensure proper access and learning.
Highlighting the importance of ECCE, he stressed that students who start behind tend to stay behind. Therefore, he strongly recommended that all nations ensure universal access to ECCE institutions with play-based curriculum and pedagogy for children aged 3 to 6 years.
Mr. Bhargava pointed out that there is a need to do more to ensure the universalization of access to quality ECCE programs, especially for children from low-income households. He expressed concerns about the potential distressing implications on child development and educational outcomes if these access gaps are not addressed. He urged initiatives to focus on both increasing access and improving the overall quality of ECCE programs.
