A Decade after Reforms, Did the Student Achievement at Primary Level Improve?

This study in the context of National Curriculum Framework (2005) and constructivist approach to learning and critical pedagogy, gauges the attainment of upper primary students in Malayalam, science, social studies and mathematics in 2011 and compares it with that of their age group during 1999, in Kerala, India. Overall achievement of students has come down after a decade, especially attainment of higher order competencies. It is found that, generally achievement in Malayalam of the two groups are similar, while in social studies factual attainment the 2011 group has advantage over the 1999 group, but not in the case of overall social studies attainment and non-factual items. Overall science attainment and attainment in higher order skills in science has become poorer after a decade. In mathematics the score of the present students is at par with their predecessors, but the former have significantly lesser score in geometry. Students at both the end both the ends of achievement distribution have significantly lesser attainment in Malayalam, science and mathematics have lesser attainment levels than a decade earlier. Even comprehension and deriving conclusions which are especially focused in the present primary curriculum cannot be firmly said to have improved. Implications and suggestions for improving the attainment are made (3 tables included).