100 PER CENT FUNDING FOR TEACHERS’
EDUCATION IN SSA
The Union Government
has decided to provide 100 per cent funding for teacher education
including setting up and maintaining district level Teachers’
Training Institutions. The decision is a part of Sarv Shiksha
Abhiyan (SSA), a national programme to achieve universalisation
of elementary education, a plan that will assure funds for the
professional development of teachers. The Minister of State for
Human Resource Development, Shri Ashok Pradhan, conveyed these
facts at the Global Education for All (EFA) week and United Nations
Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI), where he was the chief guest.
Shri Pradhan reiterated
the Government’s resolve to bridge the gender gap in the country.
Asserting that SSA aims at bridging all gender gaps and primary
education by 2007 and elementary education by 2010, the Minister
detailed the expansion of Mahila Samakhya programme, started in
1989, for the education and empowerment of women from socially
and economically marginalised groups in rural areas. To this end,
he clarified that blocks, which are backward in terms of female
literacy have been identified and are being targeted for additional
local specific inputs which would help the effort of girls’ education.
The Minister also announced the launching of Kasturba Gandhi Swatantra
Vidyalay scheme, under which residential schools or boarding facilities,
predominantly for girls from scheduled castes, scheduled tribes
and other backward classes in educationally backward blocks, would
be opened.
Mahila Samakhya programme,
which received the Hon’ble Mention of the Noma Literacy Prize
by the International Literacy Prize Jury, UNESCO. The programme
has provided an opportunity for women to come together and overcome
the barrier to their participation in the access to education
and development, Shri Pradhan said.
