NEW DELHI: integrated science labs, smart classrooms, learning through play, support for vocational education. These are just some of the focus areas of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan’s five-year plan, which has been sent to states and union territories (a copy of which is with TOI).
The Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan was launched in 2018 to provide integrated and holistic school education. Rather than disparate programs that looked at preschool, primary and secondary schools in silos, the Samagra Shiksha program treats school as a continuum – from kindergarten and lower to upper secondary. In August last year, the scheme was extended until 2025-26.
According to the Ministry of Education, the Samagra Shiksha scheme is fully aligned with the recommendations of the National Education Policy and “many transformative recommendations of NEP 2020 have become part of the Samagra Shiksha scheme.”
What’s on the five-year plan?
The plan includes annual calendar activities, national initiative for reading with comprehension and proficiency, implementation of VidyaPravesh – a three-month game-based school preparation module for grade I, targeted and saturation approach for secondary and secondary education expansion, access and retention and quality and innovation.
Maneesh Garg, joint secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy, said to release the guidelines: “As the program has continued for the next five years until 2025-26, it is time for us to start a proper planning process based on the measurable results so that the scheme can show some tangible benefits in the coming years.The planning exercise should be conducted in a decentralized manner, involving all stakeholders from the grassroots level, to make it realistic, achievable and accountable.
More schools
The government has announced its goal of achieving 100% GER (Gross Enrollment Ratio) at all levels, as envisioned in NEP 2020. To this end, the Center has asked states and Union territories to send their proposals for opening new secondary and secondary schools. based on GIS maps done by the Ministry of Education.
To end early school leaving, which is higher in the upper grades and to ensure universal access and retention, the ministry proposed “a 2-3 month preparation module for children entering class lX so that they are prepared in secondary.”
The document also says that “50% of composite secondary/senior-secondary schools, as envisioned in NEP 2020, will receive vocational education support over the next 4 years.”
The Center has also asked Union states and territories to develop plans for integrated science labs, electricity for ICT and smart classrooms in all schools. This is independent of ensuring that all schools have adequate facilities for toilets, hand washing and drinking water, as well as incinerators and sanitary towel vending machines in all girls’ hostels.
The ministry also stated that the center will identify more than 15,000 schools across the country to develop them as model schools in terms of infrastructure and quality. The selected schools receive separate funding and are not covered by Samagra Shiksha.
Financing
The Ministry of Education stated that the estimated share of the center for 2022-23 would be Rs 42,211.47 crore; states and union territories should spend Rs 23,443.40 crore during this period. A total of Rs 65,654.87 crore will be issued in 2022-23 alone.
