Introduction
The relationship between psychometric intelligence and academic performance is a widely studied topic in education and psychology, due to its relevance to understanding how cognitive abilities influence learning and educational outcomes. This paper explores this relationship in different educational contexts in India, assessing the performance of children in government, private, and NGO-run schools.
Development
1. Measures of Intelligence and Academic Performance
Intelligence was assessed using the Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices (CPM), a culturally neutral test of nonverbal intelligence, while academic performance was measured by the Achievement Test Battery (ATB-SR). The results indicated a positive correlation between intelligence and academic performance, highlighting the influence of psychometric intelligence on academic skills such as Mathematics, Science, and Languages.
2. Differences between School Types
The study revealed significant disparities in academic performance across the types of schools analyzed. Students in private schools performed better in subjects such as Mathematics and Science, while students in schools managed by NGOs excelled in Social Sciences. These results were attributed to factors such as school infrastructure, teacher quality, and the learning environment.
3. Implications for Educational Policy
The findings suggest that improvements in infrastructure and teaching quality in public schools can reduce disparities in academic performance. Partnership models between government, NGOs, and local communities were suggested as a viable solution to increase the efficiency of school management and improve educational outcomes.
Discussion
The analysis confirmed the importance of psychometric intelligence as a predictor of academic performance, but also highlighted the need to address social and structural factors that impact learning. Integrating partnership models can be an effective approach to achieve educational equity.
Reference
Malhotra, S. (2020). Psychometric Intelligence and Academic Achievement: A Comparative Analysis of Elementary Schools. Volume 3, Number 2, March 2020, 83-95.
