Variability of Transition Rate and Gender Parity in Rural Primary School Level in Gopiballavpur Circle (West), Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal: A Case Specific Study

Abstract

This paper assesses variability of transition rate and gender parity in rural primary school level in Gopiballavpur Circle (West), Paschim Medinipur, West Bengal. With respect to 2003-2012 (ten academic sessions) registered enrolment record in two primary schools, the variability of transition rates was calculated for each school using actual values of measurable parameters relating to study. Thus, a transition rates was assigned to each of the schools according to the degree of transition rates. Similarly, gender parity for each school was derived from male and female registered pupils. The ratio of female and male was used to calculate the gender parity for the schools, which was then multiplied by the percent of value occurrences to obtain the gender parity index (GPI). This analysis was used to divide the transition rate into four assigned threshold including on the basis of positive and negative numeric a) very low transition rate (0% - 25%); b) medium transition rate (26% - 50%); c) high transition rate (51% - 75%); and d) very high transition rate (76% - 100%). Whereas, gender parity divided into three assigned attributes (a) gender parity index (=1) for parity between females and males pupils; (b) gender parity index (1) disparity in favour of female pupils. However, the interpretation should be the other way rounded for indicators that should ideally approach tends to be 0% (e.g. repetition, dropout, illiteracy rates, etc.). Overall, this type of transition rates and gender parity assessment may prove useful for future school planning and management programs in rural primary school.