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There have been
several innovative schemes in the sector of elementary education
following the National Policy on Education in 1986 such as Operation
Blackboard, Teacher Education, Non Formal Education, Mahila Samakhya,
National Programme for Nutritional Support for Primary Education, State
Specific Education Projects in Bihar, Rajasthan, UP and Andhra Pradesh
and DPEP in 248 districts of 18 States. It is proposed to integrate
these in the fold of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in the following manner:
i.
Operation Blackboard:
Operation Blackboard aimed to improve physical infrastructure of education
whereby school space was expanded and more teachers provided. However,
Operation Blackboard could not cover the entire spectrum of schools. The
SSA will qualitatively improve and expand the existing structure. No fresh
teacher recruitment will take place under OBB once SSA programme is
operationalized. Support for teachers' salaries under OBB will, however,
continue as per the OBB scheme where teachers have already been appointed
under that scheme, till the end of the IX Plan. Efforts to access funds
for classrooms from rural/urban employment schemes will continue to be
made, even though earmarking is no more applicable to these funds.
ii.
Strengthening of Teacher Education:
The revised scheme of Teacher Education provides for a Memorandum of
Understanding with the states in order to ensure that they receive
priority attention of state governments, especially with regard to filling
up of vacancies through a rigorous selection criteria. The scheme will be
a part of the SSA framework till the end of the IX Plan, after which it
will merge in the SSA programme. This will supplement the DIETs, which
provide guidance at district level. The revised Teacher Education provides
for strengthening of SCERTs. Support for SCERT will continue under the
Teacher Education Scheme.
iii.
National Programme of Nutritional Support for Primary Education:
Evaluation of the
National Programme of Nutritional Support for Primary Education indicate
that the supply of food grains leads to improvement in student attendance
while raising their nutritional standard. It is proposed to continue the
scheme with suitable modifications, in consultation with States.
iv.
Mahila Samakhya:
Evaluation studies on the Mahila Samakhya approach indicate the progress
made in empowerment of women. This in turn generates demand for
elementary education of girls. There is a need to further strengthen
these linkages with basic education of girls by giving women's groups a
more active role in the management of the school. Though the scheme of
Mahila Samakhya will retain its distinct identity at the State and the
district level, it will provide support for the planning and
implementation of SSA in districts implementing Mahila Samakhya.
v.
Education Guarantee Scheme and Alternative and Innovative
Education:
Studies on the Non-Formal Education scheme have pointed out the lack of
flexibility which impedes effective implementation across different
States. Efforts to provide for a diversity of interventions have been made
in the revised scheme that has been approved recently such as setting up
of Education Guarantee Schools, Alternative Schooling facilities, Balika
Shikshan Shivir, 'Back to School' camps, etc. The restructured NFE scheme
called EGS and AIE will be a component of the SSA and be absorbed in it by
the end of the IX Plan. SSA programme will provide planning and management
support to operationalize the EGS and AIE scheme.
vi.
District Primary Education Programme (DPEP):
DPEP districts indicate that decentralized planning and implementation
facilitates community involvement in the process of school management.
DPEP has met with varied of degree of success in different States. Some
have availed of DPEP benefits and have improved their elementary education
sector. A large number of teacher vacancies have been filled up in many
DPEP states. Setting up of Block and Cluster Resource Centres has
facilitated academic interaction among teachers. Development of new
textbooks with the participation of teachers and experts has been
encouraging in most DPEP states. All DPEP districts would also be part of
the SSA framework. Efforts to prepare comprehensive District Elementary
Education Plans will be made in DPEP districts. The focus will be on
vertical expansion into Upper Primary Education and on consolidation of
the primary schooling efforts.
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