If a child cannot read a simple sentence or do basic arithmetic by age 10, is their future already compromised?
According to a joint report by UNESCO, UNICEF, and the World Bank, an estimated 70% of children in low- and middle-income countries are unable to read and understand a simple story by the end of primary school. This is what experts call learning poverty and it’s a development emergency.
In India, the foundational years—ages 3 to 8—are often where inequality sets in. Children from non-literate, multilingual, or economically marginalized homes walk into schools with a developmental disadvantage that formal education systems are rarely equipped to bridge. And yet, the early years offer the greatest window of opportunity. As the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 rightly states:
“Our highest priority must be to achieve universal foundational literacy and numeracy by Grade 3 by 2026–27.”
What is Foundational Literacy and Numeracy and why it matters
Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) refers to a child’s ability to read basic text and solve simple mathematical problems by age 10—skills that serve as building blocks for all future learning. UNESCO defines it as the minimum proficiency required in reading and arithmetic for participation in society and further schooling.
Without these skills, children fall behind quickly, often irreparably. The 2022 Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) revealed that only 20.5% of Class 3 students in rural India could read a Class 2-level text, showing a sharp drop from 27.3% in 2018. COVID-19 exacerbated these gaps. The World Bank warns that the pandemic has pushed global learning poverty from 53% to 70%.
In the words of Dr. Rukmini Banerji, CEO of Pratham:
“You cannot build a house if the foundation is shaky. The same is true for education.”
Smile Foundation’s grounded, scalable approach
In response, organizations like Smile Foundation are putting their concerted efforts towards grassroots-led FLN models. Operating across 2,000 villages in 26 states, our Mission Education programme targets foundational learning using a combination of pedagogy, technology, and community.
Our model includes:
- FLN-focused classes, grouped by skill rather than grade
- A strong emphasis on mother tongue-based learning, aiding comprehension
- Parental and community involvement, essential for learning continuity
- A four-pronged engagement strategy—teachers, school management committees, parents, and local officials
The programme aims to ensure at least 70% of enrolled children achieve FLN compliance, while creating systemic and local capacity to sustain progress beyond project timelines.
Additionally, bridge courses support out-of-school children, while remedial education helps children who have fallen behind, especially in multi-grade classrooms. Teachers and local volunteers are trained not just in methods but also in diagnostic tools and tracking student progress.
The global context: Models that work
Smile Foundation’s approach resonates with global success stories that have cracked the code of scalable Foundational Literacy and Numeracy interventions:
1. Kenya’s Tusome Programme
This nationally scaled programme improved literacy for over 7 million children using three elements: structured lesson plans, textbooks for all, and real-time monitoring through teacher tablets. Gains were rapid and cost-effective.
2. Vietnam’s Whole-System Reform
Vietnam integrated early learning outcomes into national planning, invested in teacher capacity, and provided age-appropriate, homegrown learning materials. The result? 15-year-olds in Vietnam outperformed peers in wealthier nations in international assessments like PISA.
3. Ghana’s Teacher-Led Local Language Instruction
In Ghana, children who were taught in their mother tongue for the first three years of schooling performed significantly better in literacy assessments. A cost-effective training program for teachers and the use of local stories created emotional engagement and cognitive clarity.
Measuring learning, not just attendance
A critical flaw in many education systems is the over-reliance on enrollment and completion rates as success indicators. Smile Foundation’s model tries to correct this by including diagnostic assessments, continuous learning measurement, and impact dashboards to track progress transparently.
This echoes the World Bank’s call to “shift focus from schooling to learning.” Without this shift, children remain in school for years without acquiring even the most basic skills.
Aligning with policy: NIPUN Bharat and SDG 4
Launched in 2021, India’s NIPUN Bharat Mission seeks to ensure that every child in Grades 1–3 attains basic reading and arithmetic skills by 2026–27. The Smile Foundation model is well-aligned with its three pillars: access, equity, and quality.
Moreover, FLN directly supports SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning for all. The World Bank estimates that every dollar invested in early education yields up to $10 in economic returns through better incomes, health outcomes, and civic engagement.
Making it stick: Sustainability and scale
Smile Foundation’s sustainability plan includes:
- Training of local teachers and volunteers for community-led continuity
- Partnerships with like-minded NGOs and government institutions to embed practices in public systems
- Ownership by school management committees and parents, increasing accountability
Our approach is a pathway toward embedded, systemic reform.
Let’s act intelligently and urgently
Education experts worldwide agree that foundational skills must come first. Without them, no amount of later investment can repair the cracks. FLN is affordable, measurable, and high-impact, and yet often overshadowed by flashier technology or test scores.
The international community is waking up to this. The World Bank has committed $4 billion to FLN and learning recovery in over 100 countries. UNESCO, UNICEF, and OECD have prioritized early-grade reading and numeracy as global benchmarks for recovery and resilience.
The path to equitable, quality education doesn’t begin in secondary school—it starts with helping a five-year-old write their name and understand the number 10 and more. FLN is very well a child’s first experience of self-worth and capability.
We now have evidence, tools, and successful examples from around the world. What we need is will and wisdom.
If the global education community is to be remembered for anything this decade, let it be this— we put foundational learning first.
Sources
- ASER 2022 Report – www.asercentre.org
- National Education Policy 2020 – Ministry of Education, Govt. of India
- NIPUN Bharat Guidelines – education.gov.in
- UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Reports – unesco.org
- World Bank EdStats on FLN – worldbank.org/education
