Appropriate instruments for monitoring both quantitative and qualitative information including individual learner performance , developed towards establishment of a meaningful EMIS.

Monitoring is seen in GSS as the most powerful planning as well as evaluation tool because it makes observation over a period of time and analysis and corrections of deviations from expected results possible. Evaluation, on the other hand, offers findings at a given moment in time that may not capture the whole truth. Monitoring alone allows appropriate corrective intervention.

Monitoring individual learner performance is critical in ensuring learner achievement. The process allows -

• Monitoring progress made by individual learners in each area of skill, ability and knowledge
• Measuring actual results against targets;
• Identifying possible reasons for performance deviation, if any;
• Designing and preparing interventions to correct deviation, if any;
• Implementation of corrective interventions to ensure desired learner outcome;
• Observing trend and making necessary projections; and
• Planning future investments into children's education.

Apart from learner performance, one key area for monitoring is unit cost & distribution of the cost. This has serious implications for the sustainability strategy or the programme. This, obviously will have to be an integral part of the EMIS. It would seem that GSS would have much to benefit if it would be possible to engage TA support for putting back its EMIS in place.

Monitoring Indicators
The indicators of an EMIS would include the following:

General :
Enrolment, attendance, drop-out, completion rates, repetition and number proceeding to secondary or vocational school.

Access:
Geographical location, socio-economic situation, special needs, special conditions (tribal, minority etc);

Quality :

1. Classroom Environment - Learner-teacher ratio, Activity Tables and Corners, Classroom Display; Availability of wide selection of reading materials
2. Teaching learning - Active learning; Time management, Lesson planning based on individual learner progress, Use of supplementary reading materials; Continuous Assessment
3. Learner Outcome - reading, writing, math and life skills, participation in primary scholarship exams and results;
4. Teacher - Gender, pre-service qualification, teacher education and training, teacher attendance;
5. Supervision - Time spent on each are of academic supervision;
6. Monitoring - Individual Learner Performance, That the Process (a to f) is in place, and Unit Cost

Unit Costs:
Unit Costs (per child/year) for enrolled children and those completing Grade V; Unit cost of school (overall and at the community level); Cost of Sustainability at the community level; and Distribution of cost;

Monitoring Instruments:
Although the existing instruments would continue to be used, it is felt that Technical Assistance would be useful in further refining some of the instruments and more importantly in configuring software to ensure regular output. GSS would like to monitor cost per unit of performance. This would involve combining cost centres with performance centres and decentralisation of monitoring at the Cluster level. This is another area that would benefit much from TA input.