1. SARVA SHIKSHA ABHIYAN • Any habitation with 25 out-of-schools in
the 6-14 age groups (15 in the cases of hilly SSA, the principal programme for Universal and desert areas and tribal hamlets) is Elementary Education (UEE), is the culmination eligible to have an EGS centre. of all previous endeavours and experiences in implementing various education programmes. • It is a transitory facility till primary school While each of these programmes and projects replaces it within a period of two years. had a specific focus-Operation Blackboard on improving physical infrastructure; DPEP on • Alternative education interventions for primary education; Shiksha Karmi Project on specific categories of very deprived children teacher absenteeism, and Lok Jumbish Project e.g., child labour, street children, migrating on girls' education-SSA has been the single children, working children, children living largest holistic programme addressing all aspects in difficult circumstances and older children of elementary education covering over one in the 9+ age group especially adolescent million elementary schools and Education girls are being supported under EGS and Guarantee Centre (EGS)/Alternate and AIE all over the country. Innovative Education (AIE) Centres and about 20 crore children. • A sizeable number of out-of-school children are in the habitations where schooling • Launched in 2001, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan facility is available but these children either (SSA) is one of India's major flagship did not join the school or dropped out before programmes for universalisation of completing their schooling. These children elementary education. Its overall goals may not fit into the rigid formal system. To include universal access and atention, bring such children back to school, back to bridging of gender and social category gaps school camp and Bridge Courses strategies in elementary education, and achieving have been implemented. Bridge courses and significant enhancement in learning levels back-to-school camps can be residential or of children. non-residential depending upon the need of children. Education Guarantee Scheme and Alternative and Innovative Education 2. THE NATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR • Education Guarantee Scheme and EDUCATION OF GIRLS AT Alternative Innovative Education (EGS and ELEMENTARY LEVEL AIE) is an important component of Sarva • NPEGEL Scheme is a holistic effort to Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) to bring out-of- address obstacles to girl's education at the school children in the fold of Elementary micro level through flexible, decentralized Education. process and decision-making. • The scheme envisages that child-wise planning is undertaken for each out-of- • It is implemented in educationally schoolchild. backward blocs and addresses the needs of girls who are 'in' as well as 'out' of school. • Under EGS, educational facilities are set up in habitations that do not have a primary • It also reaches out to girls who are enrolled school within a distance of 1 km. in school but do not attend school regularly. • Children become vulnerable to leaving The scheme has the following components: school when they are not able to cope with 1. Borne entirely by state government the pace of learning in class or feel neglected by teachers /peers in class. The scheme • Supply of free food grains i.e. 100 grams of emphasizes the responsibility of teachers to wheat/rice, 20 grams of pulses, 50 grams recognize such girls and pay special of vegetables, and 5 grams of oil/fat per attention to bring them out of their state of child per school day for primary and 150 vulnerability and prevent them from grams of wheat/rice, 30 grams of pulses, dropping out. 75 grams of vegetables, and 7.5 grams of oil/fat per child per school for upper • The scheme works through village level primary stage. women's and community groups to follow up girls' enrolment, attendance and • Assistance for transportation of food grains achievement. The community is engaged in from FCI godowns to the schools. recommending village-specific action based • For north eastern states and Jammu and on their understanding of local issues. Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand at the rate prevalent under 3. KASTURBA GANDHI BALIKA the public distribution system (w.e.f. 1 VIDYALAYA SCHEME December 2009) • Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya scheme • For all states and UTs at @ 75 per quintal. provides for setting up of residential upper primary schools for girls for SC, ST, OBC, • Assistance for monitoring management and and Muslim communities. evaluation, (MME) at the rate of 2 per cent of total cost of food grains, transport cost • The scheme targets areas of scattered and cooking cost. habitations, where schools are at great distances and are challenge to the security 2. Shared with the states/UTs. of girls. This often compels girls to • Cooking cost @ Rs. 2.69 per child per day discontinue their education. KGBV for primary classes and @ Rs. 4.03 for per addresses this through setting up residential child per day for upper primary classes schools in the block itself. w.e.f. 1 April 2010. • The scheme provides for a minimum • Payment of honorarium of Rs. 100 per reservation of 75 per cent seats for girls month to cook-cum-helper. from SC/ST/OBC/ Minority Communities and 25% to girls from families that are • Assistance for the cost of construction of below the poverty line. kitchen-cum-store to be determined on the basis of plinth area norm and State Schedule 4. MID-DAY MEAL SCHEME of Rates. With a view to enhancing enrollment, retention • The cooking cost, honorarium for cookscum- and attendance and simultaneously improving help and the cost of construction of kitchen- nutritional levels among children, the National cum-stores will be shared between the centre Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary and the NER states/UTs on 75:25 basis. Education (NP-NSPE) was launched as a 5. MAHILA SAMAKHYA SCHEME Centrally Sponsored Scheme on 15 August 1995, initially in 2408 blocks in the country. By the year • Pursuant to the objectives of the NPE, 1986, 1997-98, the NP-NSPE was introduced in all the Mahila Samakhya Scheme was started blocks of the country. It was further extended in in 1989 to translate the goals enshrined in 2008 to cover not only children in classes 1-4 of the NPE into a concrete programme for the government, government- aided and local body education and empowerment of women in schools, but also children studying in EGS and rural areas particularly those from socially AIE centres. and economically marginalized groups.
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• The MS scheme recognizes the centrality of education by 2017 and achieving universal education in empowering women to achieve retention by 2020. equality. • Broad physical targets include providing • The Mahila Sanghas or women's collectives facilities for estimated additional enrolment at the village level provide the women a of more than 32 lakh students by 2011-12. space to meet, reflect, ask questions and • The central government shall bear 75 per articulate their thoughts and needs to make cent and state governments will bear 25 % informed choices. of the roject expenditure during the 11th • The Mahila Sanghas through various Plan. Sharing pattern will be 50:50 for the programmes and awareness campaigns 12th Plan. For both the Plan periods have brought about a change in the outlook sharing pattern will be 90:10 for the north of rural women and the effects can now be eastern states. seen in various facets of life at home within the family, the community and at the block, • The scheme is to be implemented by the and Panchayat levels. state government societies established for implementation of the scheme. • The programme has also focused on • The central share is released to the awareness of the need to educate the implementing agency directly. The children, especially girls, to give the equal applicable state share is also released to the status and opportunities which has resulted implementing agency by the respective state in a direct impact on enrolment and governments. retention of girls in schools. 7. TEACHER EDUCATION SCHEME • The Mahila Samakhya Scheme is currently being implemented in ten states, viz., • Centrally sponsored scheme of teacher Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, education was launched in 1987-88 with, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, inter - alia, the following components: Kerala, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand spread over 102 districts and I. Establishment of district institute of covering more than 21,000 villages. education & training (DIETs)- by up- gradation of existing Elementary Teacher • Currently, DFID (UK) is providing assistance Education Institutions (ETEIs) wherever of 35 million sterling to this programme on possible, and establishment of new DIET the basis of a 90:10 fund sharing pattern where necessary. between DFID and Government of India • The main objectives of the Teacher for a seven year period from 2007-14. Education Scheme are as follows: 6. RASHTRIYA MADHYAMIK SHIKSHA 1. Speedy completion of DIET/CTE/IASE/ ABHIYAN SCERT projects sanctioned but not • Launched in March, 2009, this scheme with completed up to the 9th Plan period, the objective to enhance access to secondary optimally functional and operational. education and improve its quality, envisages 2. Sanction and implementation of fresh to achieve an enrolment rate of 75 per cent DIET/CTE/IASE/SCERT projects to the from 52.26 per cent in 2005-06 in secondary extent necessary. stage within five years by providing a secondary school within a reasonable 3. Improvement in the quality of distance of any habitation. programmes to be undertaken by DIETs, etc. especially those of pre-service and • The other objectives include improving in-service training, so as to enable them quality of education imparted at secondary to effectively play their nodal role of level through making all secondary schools improving quality of elementary and conform to prescribed norms, removing secondary education in their respective gender, socio-economic disability barriers, jurisdiction, as measured in terms of providing universal access to secondary level levels of learner achievements.
PROGRAMMES & POLICIES 3
8. NATIONAL POPULATION • The flagship programme of the government EDUCATION PROJECT will cover all adults in the age group of 15 and beyond though its primary focus will • The National Population Education Project be on women. was launched in April 1980 with the overarching objective of institutionalizing • The scheme has not only been relieved of population education in the school the shortcomings noted in its preceding education and teacher education systems editions, but also, several new features to contribute to the attainment of population added to it. education in the school education and teacher education systems to contribute to The mission has four broad objectives, mainly: the attainment of population and development goals of the country. • Impact functional literacy and numeracy to non-literate and non-numerate adults. • Up to 2002, this was implemented as externally aided project which was fully • Enable the neo-literate adults specially funded by the United Nations Population younger adults to continue their learning Fund (UNFPA). beyond basic literacy and acquire equivalency to formal educational system. • It was being implemented in the university • Impart non and neo-literates relevant skill education and adult education sector as well. development programmes to improve their • In view of the achievements and earning and living conditions. significance of the project, Government of India decided to continue it in the 10th Five • Promote a learning society by providing opportunities to neo-literate adults and Year Plan with a more focused objective of integrating the elements of reconceptualised other potential learners for continuing education. framework of population education in school curriculum. 10. JAN SHIKSHA SANSTHANS • UNFPA decided to support a concomitant • Jan Shiksha Sansthans (JSSs) are established project focused on adolescent reproductive to provide vocational training to non- and sexual health (ARSH) from 2004. literate, as well as school dropouts by • During 2006-07, the NPEP was identifying skills as would have a market in the region of their establishment. implemented as an integral part of Adolescence Education programme, • JSSs impart skill development training in launched by ministry of human resource nearly 394 vocational courses in Cutting development in 2005 in collaboration with and Tailoring, Beauty Culture and Health National AIDS Control Organisation. Care, Fashion Design, Electrical and Electronics, Automobile Repairs, Soft Toys 9. SAAKSHAR BHARAT making, Agriculture Allied Courses, Cottage • Since the campaign of total literacy that Industry Courses, Handicrafts, Bakery and began with the launching of National Confectionary, Textile Technology, Leather Literacy Mission (NLM) in 1988, literacy Technology and Building Technology. rates have moved up from 43.57 per cent in 1981 to 64.84 per cent in 2001. 11. VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT • In the context of government's overall policy aimed at empowerment of women and in There was an effort to launch a National Skill recognition of the fact that literacy is a Development Mission with an outlay of INR prerequisite for socio-economic 31,200 crore to increase employment capacity development, the National Literacy Mission from 2.5 million to 10 million per annum. The has been recast as "SAAKSHAR BHARAT" National Skill Development Mission was with prime focus on female literacy. envisioned to:
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• Modernise existing public sector combined with matching Government infrastructure to get into PPP mode with contribution. functional and governance autonomy, establish a credible accreditation system and 12. OPEN SCHOOLING SYSTEM a guidance framework for all accrediting • It is necessary to design, create and establish agencies, encourage agencies to rate alternative Educational provisions for some institutions on standardized outcomes, and prospective learners who will not be able to establish a National Skill Inventory and a take advantage of formal schooling during National Database for Skill Deficiency stipulated school hours. Mapping on a national web portal. • The Open Schooling Programmes up to • Set up a National Qualifications Framework, predegree level are being offered by the which establishes equivalence and provides National Institute of Open Schooling horizontal mobility between various ( N IO S) an d 10 St at e Op en Sc h o ols vocational, technical and academic streams (SOSS). at more than one career points and a • The States that have set up SOSS are West Trainee Placement and Tracking System for Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, effective evaluation and future policy Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, planning. Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir. • Finishing Schools will be encouraged to take care of last mile unemployability. • The open schools network when fully developed should be able to cater to at least • Create a National Skill Development Fund 15% students in secondary education. imposing a universal skill development obligation on industry to invest in skill • The open schooling network needs to be development of SCs/STs/OBCs/Minorities/ expanded to ensure that every state provides others candidates from BPL families - as Open Schooling Facility through its regional their contribution to affirmative action language.