CENTRE WRITES TO UP, BIHAR, JHARKHAND
& ORISSA TO STEP UP SARVA SHIKSHA ABHIYAN
Government is implementing
a comprehensive programme called Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) covering
the entire country and addresses the needs of 192 million children
in 11 lakh habitations. The programme seeks to open new schools
in habitations which do not have schooling facilities, and strengthen
existing school infrastructure through provision of additional
class rooms, toilets, drinking water, maintenance grant and school
improvement grant. Existing schools with inadequate teacher strength
would be provided additional teachers. Teachers’ competence would
be upgraded by extensive training, provision of grant for developing
teaching-learning material and development of academic support
structure. SSA has a special focus on girls and children of weaker
sections. A number of initiatives, including free textbooks, target
these children under the programme.
The approach is community-owned,
and village education plans prepared in consultation with Panchayati
Raj institutions form the basis of district elementary education
plans.
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
is being implemented through State Governments and expenditure
on it is being shared between the Centre and States on 75:25 basis
during the 10th Plan.
The Government has
written to Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Orissa that they
were too slow in implementing largely education for all programmed
funded by the Central Government.
Government has also
been prepared a new programme for girls’ elementary level education
to be implemented in 21 states.
This information
was given by Minister of State for Human Resource Development
Dr. Sanjay Paswan in written reply to a question in the Rajya
Sabha today.
