Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (Hindi: सर्व शिक्षा अभियान, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyān, English: Education for All Movement), or SSA, is an Indian Government programme aimed at the universalisation of elementary education "in a time bound manner", as mandated by the 86th Amendment to the Constitution of India making free and compulsory education to children between the ages of 6 to 14 (estimated to be 205 million children in 2001) a fundamental right. The programme was pioneered by former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

History

As an intervention programme, SSA has been operational since 2000-2001.[1] However, its roots go back to 1993-1994, when the District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) was launched, with an aim of achieving the objective of universal primary education.[2] DPEP, over several phases, covered 272 districts in 18 states of the country.[3] The expenditure on the programme was shared by the Central Government (85%) and the State Governments. The Central share was funded by a number of external agencies, including the World Bank, DFID and UNICEF.[4] By 2001, more than US$1500 million had been committed to the programme, and 50 million children covered in its ambit. In an impact assessment of Phase I of DPEP, the authors concluded that its net impact on minority children was impressive, while there was little evidence of any impact on the enrolment of girls. Nevertheless, they concluded that the investment in DPEP was not a waste, because it introduced a new approach to primary school interventions in India.[4]

The Right to Education Act (RTE) came into force on 1 April 2010. Some educationists and policy makers believe that, with the passing of this act, SSA has acquired the necessary legal force for its implementation.[5]

Funds

In 2011-12, the Government of India allocated ₹21000 crore (US$3.1 billion) for this project.[6]

Features

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is a programme for Universal Elementary Education. This programme is also an attempt to provide an opportunity for improving human capabilities to all children through provision of community -owned quality education in a mission mode. It is a response to the demand for quality basic education all over the country.

Main features

  1. Programme with a clear time frame for universal elementary education.
  2. A response to the demand for quality basic education all over the country.
  3. An opportunity for promoting social justice through basic education.
  4. A expression of political will for universal elementary education across the country.
  5. A partnership between the central, state and the local government.
  6. An opportunity for states to develop their own vision of elementary education.
  7. An effort at effective involving the Panchyati Raj Institutions, school management Committees, village and urban slum level Education Committees, parent’s Teachers’ Associations, Mother-Teacher Associations, Tribal Autonomous councils and other grassroots level structures in the management of elementary schools.

Aims

  1. To provide useful and elementary education for all children in the 6-14 age group.
  2. To bridge social, regional and gender gaps with the active participation of community in the management of schools.
  3. To allow children to learn about and master their natural environment in order to develop their potential both spiritually and materially.
  4. To inculcate value-based learning this allows children an opportunity to work for each other’s well being rather than to permit mere selfish pursuits.
  5. To realize the importance of Early Childhood Care and education and looks at the 0-14 age as a continuum.

Objectives

  1. All children in school. Education Guarantee Centre, Alternate School, ‘Back-to-School’ camp by 2003.
  2. All children complete five years of primary schooling by 2007.
  3. All children complete of elementary schooling by 2010.
  4. Focus on elementary education of satisfactory quality with emphasis on education for life.
  5. Bridge all gender and social category gaps at primary stage by 2007 and at elementary education level by 2010.
  6. Universal retention by 2010.

Aspects

  1. It provides a wide convergent frame work for implementation of Elementary Education schemes.
  2. It is also a programme with budget provision for strengthening vital areas to achieve universalisation of elementary education.

Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat

Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat is a nationwide sub-programme of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.[7][8] Children who fail to read in early education lag behind in other subjects.The programme is designed to improve comprehensive early reading, writing and early mathematics programme for children in Classes I and II. Under this programme, ₹762 crore (US$110 million) was approved to States. The programme will not only provide print rich environment, timely distribution of books but will also include new teacher mentoring and appraisal system.[9] SSA has been operational since 2000-2001 to provide for a variety of interventions for universal access and retention, bridging of gender and social category gaps in elementary education and improving the quality of learning. SSA interventions include inter alia, opening of new schools and alternate schooling facilities, construction of schools and additional classrooms, toilets and drinking water, provisioning for teachers, regular teacher in service training and academic resource support, free textbooks& uniforms and support for improving learning achievement levels / outcome. With the passage of the RTE Act, changes have been incorporated into the SSA approach, strategies and norms. The changes encompass the vision and approach to elementary education, guided by the following principles : Holistic view of education, as interpreted in the National Curriculum Framework 2005, with implications for a systemic revamp of the entire content and process of education with significant implications for curriculum, teacher education, educational planning and management. Equity, to mean not only equal opportunity, but also creation of conditions in which the disadvantaged sections of the society – children of SC, ST, Muslim minority, landless agricultural workers and children with special needs, etc. – can avail of the opportunity. Access, not to be confined to ensuring that a school becomes accessible to all children within specified distance but implies an understanding of the educational needs and predicament of the traditionally excluded categories – the SC, ST and others sections of the most disadvantaged groups, the Muslim minority, girls in general, and children with special needs. Gender concern, implying not only an effort to enable girls to keep pace with boys but to view education in the perspective spelt out in the National Policy on Education 1986 /92; i.e. a decisive intervention to bring about a basic change in the status of women. Centrality of teacher, to motivate them to innovate and create a culture in the classroom, and beyond the classroom, that might produce an inclusive environment for children, especially for girls from oppressed and marginalised backgrounds. Moral compulsion is imposed through the RTE Act on parents, teachers, educational administrators and other stakeholders, rather than shifting emphasis on punitive processes. Convergent and integrated system of educational management is pre-requisite for implementation of the RTE law. All states must move in that direction as speedily as feasible

Present goals

Its goals of 2015 are to:

Other similar initiatives by NGOs

There are several Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), which are also progressively working in the direction of the upliftment of children, especially in the field of health and education. To name a few of these organizations, Smile Foundation, Pratham, Project Nanhi Kali, Relief India Trust, Plan India and the Qualiterate Movement, they are all taking active measures on a regular basis to motivate the underprivileged and deprived children of the society towards education.

References

  1. ↑ "Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan". Department of School Education and Literacy, MHRD, Government of India. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  2. ↑ "District Primary Education Programme, DPEP". Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  3. ↑ "District Primary Education Programmes (DPEP)". Retrieved 28 October 2013.
  4. 1 2 Jalan, Jyotsna; Glinskaya, Elena. "Improving Primary School Education in India: An Impact Assessment of DPEP I" (PDF). World Bank. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
  5. ↑ "Will RTE fulfil the SSA dream?". The Times of India. 5 April 2010. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  6. ↑ Rasheeda Bhagat A poor country, rich in corruption
  7. ↑ "Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat" (PDF). ssa.nic.in. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  8. ↑ Pandey, Navadha (August 26, 2014). "Smriti Irani launches Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat programme". Business Line. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  9. ↑ "New Government Schemes 2014-15". justwiki.net. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  10. ↑ "Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan". Ministry of Human Resource Development. Retrieved 9 October 2011.

External links

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