Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan- A Milestone of Elementary Education in India

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1 Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan- A Milestone of Elementary Education in India Sudhir Sudam Kaware and Dr. Sunil Kumar Sain Assistant Professor in Department of Education, Guru Ghasidas Central University, Bilaspur (C.G.) Assistant Professor in Department of Education, Guru Ghasidas Central University, Bilaspur (C.G.) Abstract Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is a comprehensive and integrated flagship programme of Government of India to attain Universal Elementary Education (UEE), covering the entire country in a mission mode. SSA has been launched in in partnership with the State Governments and Local Self Governments. The programme aims to provide useful and relevant, elementary education to all children in the 6 to 14 age group by It is an initiative to universalize and improve quality of education through decentralized and context specific planning and a process based, time bound implementation strategy. The programme lays emphasis on bridging all gender and social category gaps at elementary education level with time bound objectives. On one hand, SSA is a programme with its own targets, norms and processes and on the other it is an umbrella programme covering other programmes like District Primary Education Programme (DPEP), Lok Jumbish, Operational Blackboard, etc. The gigantic dimensions of the programme and the financial implications call for a meticulous planning and a rigorous appraisal. Key words: SSA, DPEP, UEE Introduction The role of Universal Elementary Education (UEE) for strengthening the social fabric of democracy through provision of equal opportunities to all has been accepted since the inception of our Republic. The original Article 45 in the Directive Principles of State Policy in the Constitution mandated the State to endeavor to provide free and compulsory education to all Children up to age fourteen in a period of ten years. Background The National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986/92, states: In our national perception, education is essentially for all. Education has an acculturating role. It refines sensitivities and perceptions that contribute to national cohesion, a scientific temper and independence of mind and spirit - thus furthering the goals of socialism, secularism and democracy enshrined in our Constitution With the formulation of NPE, India initiated a wide range of programmes for achieving the goal of UEE. These efforts were intensified in the 1980s and 1990s through several schematic and programme interventions, such as Operation Black Board (OBB), Shiksha Karmi Project (SKP), Andhra Pradesh Primary Education Project (APPEP), Bihar Education Project (BEP), U.P Basic Education Project (UPBEP), Mahila Samakhya (MS), Lok Jumbish Project (LJP), and Teacher Education which put in place a decentralised system of teacher support through District Institutes of Education and Training, District Primary Vol. 3, No. 1, January

2 Education Programme (DPEP). Currently the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme in partnership with State Governments for universalising elementary education across the country. The Constitution (Eighty-sixth Amendment) Act, 2002 inserted Article 21-A in the Constitution of India to provide free and compulsory education of all children in the age group of six to fourteen years as a Fundamental Right in such a manner as the State may, by law, determine. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, which represents the consequential legislation envisaged under Article 21-A, means that every child has a right to full time elementary education of satisfactory and equitable quality in a formal school which satisfies certain essential norms and standards. The need to address inadequacies in retention, residual access, particularly of un-reached children, and the questions of quality are the most compelling reasons for the insertion of Article 21-A in the Constitution of India and the passage of the RTE Act, 2009 in the Parliament. Article 21-A and the RTE Act came into effect on 1 April The title of the RTE Act incorporates the words free and compulsory. Free education means that no child, other than a child who has been admitted by his or her parents to a school which is not supported by the appropriate Government, shall be liable to pay any kind of fee or charges or expenses which may prevent him or her from pursuing and completing elementary education. Compulsory education casts an obligation on the appropriate Government and local authorities to provide and ensure admission, attendance and completion of elementary education by all children in the 6-14 age group. With this, India has moved forward to a rights based framework that casts a legal obligation on the Central and State Governments to implement this fundamental child right as enshrined in the Article 21A of the Constitution, in accordance with the provisions of the RTE Act. Currently, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is implemented as India s main programme for universalizing elementary education. Its overall goals include universal access and retention, bridging of gender and social category gaps in education and enhancement of learning levels of children. SSA provides for a variety of interventions, including inter alia, opening of new schools and alternate schooling facilities, construction of schools and additional classrooms, toilets and drinking water, provisioning for teachers, periodic teacher training and academic resource support, textbooks and support for learning achievement. These provisions need to be aligned with the legally mandated norms and standards and free entitlements mandated by the RTE Act. Salient Features of the RTE Act, 2009 The right of children to free and compulsory education till completion of Elementary Education in a neighborhood school. It clarifies that compulsory education means obligation of the appropriate government to provide free elementary education and ensure compulsory admission, attendance and completion of elementary education to every child in the six to fourteen age group. Free means that no child shall be liable to pay any kind of fee or charges or expenses which may prevent him or her from pursuing and completing elementary education. It makes provisions for a non-admitted child to be admitted to an age appropriate class. It specifies the duties and responsibilities of appropriate Governments, local authority and parents in providing free and compulsory education, and sharing of financial and other responsibilities between the Central and State Governments. It lays down the norms and standards relating inter alia to Pupil Teacher Ratios (PTRs), buildings and infrastructure, school-working days, teacher-working hours. Vol. 3, No. 1, January

3 It provides for rational deployment of teachers by ensuring that the specified pupil teacher ratio is maintained for each school, rather than just as an average for the State or District or Block, thus ensuring that there is no urban-rural imbalance in teacher postings. It also provides for prohibition of deployment of teachers for noneducational work, other than decennial census, elections to local authority, state legislatures and parliament, and disaster relief. It provides for appointment of appropriately trained teachers, i.e. teachers with the requisite entry and academic qualifications. It prohibits (a) physical punishment and mental harassment; (b) screening procedures for admission of children; (c) capitation fee; (d) private tuition by teachers and (e) running of schools without recognition, It provides for development of curriculum in consonance with the values enshrined in the Constitution, and which would ensure the all-round development of the child, building on the child s knowledge, potentiality and talent and making the child free of fear, trauma and anxiety through a system of child friendly and child centered learning. Girls Education under SSA Baseline and social assessment studies have shown low participation of girl s at elementary level. There is also ample evidence to show that girls remain educationally backward as compared to boys despite the fact that both are from similar socio-economic backgrounds. The problem of poor enrollment, retention and learning achievement become more acute for girls at the elementary level, mainly because of expectation of parents from the girls to fulfill domestic needs. In recognition of this, special focus on girl s education has become an imperative for UEE. SSA objectives bring out the programme s intent to increase coverage of girls and bridge gender gaps in respect of enrollment, retention, completion and learning achievements. Thus, while planning for girl s education, the plans should mention general as well as specific strategies to be adopted by the districts, based on available data, research studies and gender indicators. It should have an analysis of the present status of girls education. Efforts should also be made to mainstream gender concern in all programme activities. To provide additional support for education of under privileged / disadvantaged girls, the scheme of NPEGEL has been introduced as an additional component of girl s education under SSA. The States need to provide separate sub-plans for NPEGEL, wherever applicable, clearly stating the interventions to be taken up. The operational details would also have to be clearly spelt out. Similarly, the States need to consider the Government of India s provision of new scheme, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) for setting up residential schools with boarding facilities at elementary level for girls belonging predominantly to the SC, ST, OBC and minorities in difficult areas. Although, KGBV is not a part of SSA, the plans should provide the strategies and interventions to be taken up under this scheme to provide a holistic picture on girl s education. Educational Profile Since under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan a district has to develop a District Elementary Education Plan (DEEP), the emphasis will be on elementary education, which means both on primary and upper primary levels. The plans should also briefly present information on higher levels of education namely Secondary/Higher Secondary education, higher, professional and technical education. However, details on these levels may not be required in the DEEP. Vol. 3, No. 1, January

4 The objective of presenting the district elementary education scenario is to undertake a diagnosis of the educational situation in the district, so the data presented in this section should aim at understanding the educational scenario and present the strengths and weaknesses as well as problems and constraints of the district with regard to primary and upper primary stages of education. The district educational profile section should contain write-ups on (i) educational administration in the district; (ii) educational facilities at various levels; (iii) detailed information on elementary education; (iv) State and centrally sponsored schemes implemented in the district; (v) details of externally funded schemes; (vi) District Institute of Education and Training; (vii) problems and issues of elementary education in the district. The presentation of elementary education scenario in the district should contain information on the following items for proper diagnosis of the educational situation. (i) Block-wise number of schools/sections for primary and upper primary education. (ii) Block-wise access position on primary and upper primary education in the district. (iii) Block-wise number of teachers at primary and upper primary level with the following categorization: (a) Trained/untrained teachers (b) Male/female teachers (c) SC/ST teachers (d) Teacher-pupil ratio (e) Number of sanctioned posts and vacant posts (for rationalization and requirement of additional teachers) (iv) Block-wise Enrolment at primary and upper-primary level in the district (a) Grade-wise enrolment (b) Enrolment by gender and social categories i.e. boys, girls, S.C., S.T. etc. (c) Gross and Net Enrolment Ratio: boys, girls, S.C., S.T. etc. (v) Block-wise dropout, repetition and transition rates at primary and upper primary level: boys, girls, SC, ST. etc. (vi) Block-wise position of buildings of primary and upper primary schools (vii) Block-wise school facilities at primary and upper primary level of schools (a) Instructional rooms and other rooms (number) (b) Blackboard (c) Drinking water (d) Playground (e) Toilets (f) Toilets for girls (g) Compound wall (h) Seating arrangement for teachers and students (i) Electricity (j) Teaching-learning material While presenting the district educational profile specifically on elementary education, the district plans should include all information related to private aided and unaided (recognized) schools also. Further the information on schools, enrolment and teachers etc. should also be given for EGS/AIE centres, other alternative schools, etc. It should be ensured that the educational profile presented in the plan is for the district as a whole and not for government schools only. Vol. 3, No. 1, January

5 Conclusion Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is a really milestone in the history of educational system in India. We have achieved maximum success by providing elementary education facilities for all 6 to 14 years age of students in nationwide. But we have to implement SSA and related schemes positively for the India s bright future. Sab Padhe Sab Badhe References [1] [01] Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (2004) Manual for planning and appraisal, Ministry of Human Resource and Development, Department of Elementary Education and Literacy, New Delhi. [2] [02] Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Delhi (2009) An Introduction and progress made so far, Government of NCT of Delhi, UEE Mission, Department of Education, Delhi. [3] [03] Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Mizoram (2007) A Report on 5% Post Enumeration Survey, District Information System for Education. Vol. 3, No. 1, January