Lokganitika: An Ethnomathematics Curriculum for Bhil and Pawara Students in Jalgaon

This study examined school attendance and mathematics learning among Bhil and Pawara students in Jalgaon, and tested a curriculum named Lokganitika, which teaches mathematics through the students' own culture. A survey of 570 students (Bhil 73.0%, Pawara 27.0%) found that only 256 students (44.9%) were attending school. Attendance was lowest in Grades 1–2 and in Grades 11–12, where older students were engaged in labour in other people's fields. Lokganitika was taught through five methods: painting-based visual learning (Chitra-Drisya Vidhi), shape learning through real objects (Aakar-Avlokan Vidhi), finger calculation (Anguli-Ganana Vidhi), whiteboard rote practice (Patti-Abhyas Vidhi) and learning through surroundings and daily life (Parivesh-Jeevan Vidhi). Students rated Parivesh-Jeevan highest (mean 4.86 out of 5), followed by Aakar-Avlokan (4.70), Chitra-Drisya (4.62), Anguli-Ganana (4.12) and Patti-Abhyas (3.39). In an oral test of 136 students of Grades 8–12, the average score rose from 5.62 before the seminar to 7.96 after the seminar. Three months later, students attending school had risen from 44.9% to 80.7%, and the average attendance of attending students had risen from 64.83% to 78.33%. The results show that the curriculum was accepted by the students, their mathematics scores improved, and their participation in school increased after the intervention.