GOVERNMENT EFFORTS TOWARDS UNIVERSALISATION
OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
11.38 crore children
in the country were enrolled in schools as on 30th
September, 2000, as reported in the selected Educational Statistics
2000-2001 brought out by the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
It may be pointed out that a child population of 11.83 crore,
in the age-group 6-11 years, was projected by the Registrar General
of India for the year 2001.
The Government has
taken a number of steps to ensure Universalisation of Elementary
Education. The Constitution (86th Amendment) Act, 2002
to make elementary education a fundamental right has been enacted.
The Government has also launched the scheme of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
as a National Programme to achieve the goal of Universalisation
of Elementary Education in a mission mode in partnership with
States. This programme focuses, in particular, on the educational
needs of girls, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, minorities,
urban deprived children and other children in difficult circumstances.
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
seeks to effectively involve the Panchayati Raj Institutions,
School Management Committees, Village and Urban Slum Education
Committees, Parent Teacher Associations, Mother Teacher Associations,
Tribal Autonomous Councils and other grass root level structures
in the management of elementary schools. The programme also recognizes
the critical and central role of teachers and envisages cooperation
between teachers, parents and Panchayati Raj Institutions.
This information
was given by Dr. Sanjay Paswan, Minister of State in the Ministry
of Human Resource Development in a written reply to a question
in the Rajya Sabha today.
