STATES MUST WORK HARD TO ACHIEVE 'EDUCATION FOR ALL' GOAL: Dr
JOSHI
HRD MINISTRY CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE
DISCUSSES ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
The Minister for
Human Resource Development, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi has exhorted
States, especially those which have a large population of children
out of schools, to give top priority to implementation of the
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) programme so that future generations
do not have to suffer the scourge of illiteracy. He stressed that
steps towards economic progress are unlikely to succeed in the
long term without everybody getting educated. Dr. Joshi said this
while he was addressing the Parliamentary Consultative Committee
attached to the Ministry of Human Resource Development which met
here last evening.
The Meeting was informed
that this year already plans amounting to Rs. 9374 crore had been
approved by the Ministry towards effective implementation of the
SSA. This includes annual plan of 583 Districts with an outlay
of Rs. 8167 crore approved for 26 States and four UTs of the country.
In addition Rs. 1207 crore has been approved for the District
Primary Education Programme (DPEP) which is a component of the
SSA targeting primary sections in select Districts of the country.
At present only plans for five States/UTs of Nagaland, Goa, Daman
& Diu, Lakshadweep and Pondicherry are to be approved. . The
expenditure on the SSA is shared between the Centre and States
in the ratio of 75:25 in the current Plan and would be shared
50:50 in the XI Plan.
It was also pointed
out that this year large amount of attention will be paid to the
States of Bihar, U.P. and West Bengal where the number of out
of school children continues to be very high. At the beginning
of 2003 the All India figures of out of school children was 2.38
crore of which these three States alone accounted for 1.29 crore.
The strategies for universalisation of Elementary Education in
these States, besides greater focus regarding building of class
rooms and setting up of Education Guarantee Scheme Centres, includes
involvement of NGOs in this massive task.
Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyan covers the entire country and addresses the needs
of an estimated 19.2 crore children in 11 lakh habitations. About
8.5 lakh existing primary and upper primary schools and 33 lakh
teachers are being covered by the programmes. In addition, new
schools are being opened in habitations without schooling facilities,
and existing school infrastructure is being strengthened with
more class rooms, toilets, drinking water and grants for maintenance.
The teaching capacity is being strengthened qualitatively and
quantitatively. A number of other initiatives are being taken
under this umbrella programme; these include free text books and
provision of computer education even in rural areas. The approvals
made this year, so far, provide for over 62 thousand schools,
over 3.9 lakh teachers, over 41 thousand school buildings, 89
thousand class rooms, 58 thousand toilets and nearly 42 thousand
drinking water facilities.
The approach of
the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is community-oriented. Village
education plans are prepared in consultation with Panchayati Raj
institutions which form the basis of district elementary education
plans. The Abhiyan gives special focus on education needs
of girls, SC / ST and other children in difficult circumstances.
The Consultative
Committee Meeting was attended by the Minister of State, Shri
Sanjay Paswan, Members of Parliament, Secretary (Elementary Education
& Literacy) Shri S.C. Tripathi and senior officers of the
Ministry.
