The political parties have generally agreed to provide in the constitution an act for making elementary education a fundamental right. If the provisions in this act are to be justiciable, it is essential to define the scope of elementary education in the form of meaningful and measurable learning outcomes. If the State decides to place the onus on parents for sending their children to school the State will also have to guarantee the quality of education that it will provide to fulfil its obligation of meeting the fundamental right of each child. In order to state in practical and meaningful manner what can be guaranteed by the State, it is necessary to find from the practitioners, that is teachers, what they can effectively teach to each child in spite of the limitations of their working conditions. To find answer to this question an exercise was recently conducted at the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET), Bikaner, Rajasthan.

The DIET, Bikaner, conducts a two-year pre-service course for preparing teachers for the elementary stage. As the eligibility for admission to the secondary teacher certificate course is a pass in the class 12 examination, students for this course are generally in the age group 19 to 21 years. At this institution the total strength of this two-year course is around 100. While interacting with the student-teachers an idea occurred to ask them to identify such essential terminal competencies at the end of the first five years of schooling which they would be able to develop in each child irrespective of the inadequacies in schools where they might work. Each of the student-teachers was asked to do independent thinking. Eighty three trainees who took up the exercise provided the basic data for the study in the form of written statements. These statements were further analysed in small groups of trainees. Eight such groups deliberated to crystallise the statements into meaningful, achievable and measurable learning outcomes. Each group prepared a report consisting of learning outcomes in language, mathematics and environmental study that should be achieved by each child through the primary schooling. The group reports were presented in a plenary session. The contents of these reports were quite similar and were generally endorsed by all the students. The task of consolidation of these reports has been done. In the following paragraphs the essential learning outcomes for the primary stage of education, as visualised by would-be primary school teachers, have been given.

As teachers we shall convince parents that for their children primary education is as essential for building a good base for life as a firm foundation is for putting up a strong structure. We shall ask parents to send their children to school for we will develop in them basic life skills. We will teach them with love and help each child to attain the competencies required for daily life.

• speak clearly with correct pronunciation.
• adjust speech while talking to elders, equals and persons younger to him/her.
• address the parents and relatives with due respect.
• greet appropriately the neighbours, family members and guests and talk to them with confidence.
• effectively communicate with officials in the post office and doctors in the health centre.
• understand stories, songs, poems, jokes and riddles, and will be able to narrate them in her/his words using suitable body language.
• recite short poems and tell simple stories in his/her words.
• sing in group.
• identify birds and animals by listening to their voice.
• make out from the voice of the speaker whether the person is speaking to her/him with love, anger, happiness, sadness or some other emotion.
• describe the local flora and fauna, climate, crops and the soil.
• develop interest in local folk tales and mythology.

1. Reading

• read the language textbook written with the vocabulary of words used in common conversation.
• read storybooks and magazines of the level such as Champak, Nanneh Samrat, Bal Hans, the headlines of newspapers and read them aloud.
• read and understand directions given at public places such as bus stand and railway station and the billboards.
• read to the family letters that are received at home.

• speak and write simple sentences.
• write letters to parents, relatives and friends using simple sentences.
• write correctly recipient’s postal address on letters.
• write letter to his/her teacher.
• describe in writing events such as festivals, fairs, weddings, national day celebrations etc.
• describe in simple sentences objects from daily life such as home, school and animals like cow, horse and dog.

Mathematics develops the ability to reason logically and to express thoughts precisely, clearly and accurately. Also, an elementary knowledge of arithmetic is essential for handling daily transactions competently.

• read and write numbers in digits and in words.
• use the basic operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division correctly and apply them in solving problems from daily life.
• use the decimal system in daily life such as the monetary system, measures such as meter, kilometre, gram, kilogram, quintal and a tonne.
• identify geometrical shapes such as triangle, square, rectangle and circle and will be able to classify objects in geometrical terms.
• handle accounts of the family such as that of purchase of milk, laundry and transportation.
• purchase household items by calculating their price from the rates and handle the money transaction correctly.
• measure by weight and volume correctly.
• identify the coins and paper currency of different denominations and count them correctly.
• consult the calendar for knowing the day, the day of the week and the month.
• read time from a watch or a clock and will learn to value the importance of keeping time.
• calculate his/her age from the date of birth.

Environmental study enables learners to know their physical and social environment and develops sensitivity for the protection and conservation of their environment.

• make use of the senses effectively and will be able to recognise colours, tastes, smells etc.
• identify fruits and vegetables and also name them.
• know the local flora and fauna and will be able to take care of them.
• understand his/her role in the society and will learn how to live together.
• know the different parts of her/his body and how to keep them clean.
• discriminate things that are harmful and that are helpful for good health.
• know about the balanced diet and its relevance to healthy living.
• know about the various epidemics and of preventive measures to be taken against them.
• learn about the first aid and how to use it.
• know the seasons and will be able to select dress according to the weather.
• know about the climate of her/his village and its crop patterns.
• know about his/her family, neighbour, village, district, state and the country.
• know about the various vocations in his/her locality such as tailor, blacksmith, goldsmith, potter, farmer etc.
• identify public buildings in his/her neighbourhood such as the bank, post office, hospital, school, panchayat bhawan etc.
• develop the sense of direction.
• make out places from local maps such as that of the village and estimate distance between two places and time required for travelling from one place to the other.
• know the local culture and traditions and will know the significance of festivals and how they are celebrated.
• recognise the evil of superstitions and other harmful practices.
• identify the national symbols such as the flag, the song and the emblem.
• know of the great persons and the national leaders.
• know the various modes of transport such as bus, train, aeroplane, ship etc.
• give his/her introduction.
• know of his/her rights and duties.

• take care of her/his things.
• honour elders, learned and distinguished persons and extend courtesy to them.
• attend to her/his daily activities such as taking bath, brushing teeth, clipping nails, taking care of the school uniform and the school bag.
• use public conveniences properly and will leave them clean after use.
• ensure purity of eatables and water before consuming them.
• live by the good values relevant to his/her social context.
• develop his/her imagination and manifest it through drawings and other fine arts.