New Delhi, Jun 29 (IANS): The Union education ministry has said that a total of 26.45 crore students have been enrolled in pre-primary and higher secondary education in 2019-20, which is 42.3 lakh more than 2018-19. Along with this, the Gross Enrolment Ratio has also increased at all levels in school education, the ministry added.

Union minister of education Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on Tuesday approved the release of the Integrated District Education Information System (UDISE Plus) 2019-20 report for school education.

The UDISE Plus system for online data collection from schools was launched in 2018-19. It was introduced to remove the problems related to manual data filling in paper format and subsequent feeding at the block or district level. This was also stated in the 2012-13 UDISE data collection.

The new system has brought improvements in data collection, data mapping and data validation.

According to Nishank, the Gross Enrolment Ratio at upper primary level increased from 87.7 per cent in 2018-19 to 89.7 per cent in 2019-20. At the elementary level, it increased from 96.1 per cent to 97.8 per cent. Further, at the secondary level, Gross Enrolment Ratio increased from 76.9 per cent to 77.9 per cent and increased from 50.1 per cent to 51.4 per cent at the higher secondary level.

The Gross Enrolment Ratio at the level of secondary education increased by 10 per cent in 2019-20 as compared to 2012-13. At the higher secondary level, it has increased by 11 per cent.

Besides, 96.87 lakh teachers were added to school education in 2019-20, which is 2.57 lakh more than in 2018-19. There has been a marked improvement in the student-teacher ratio. This ratio was recorded at 26.5 at primary level, 18.1 in upper primary and secondary level and 26.1 in higher secondary level education.

In 2012-13, the student-teacher ratio at the primary level was 34, the upper primary and secondary levels was 23.1 and 29.7 respectively and at the higher secondary level it was 26.1.

In the UDISE Plus report, apart from the improvement in the enrolment of girl students, improvement in gender equality index, facilities in schools like electricity, computer, internet, health, have also been recorded.

Apart from this, Financial Literacy Workbook for Class 6 students has been curated by the CBSE and NPCI.

Education minister Nishank said, "I feel delighted to share that now our young students will gain knowledge on basic financial concepts, insights about digital payments and much more through the newly launched book -- Financial Literacy Workbook for Class 6 Students curated by CBSE & NPCI."