HRD Ministry launches ‘Samagra Shiksha’ scheme

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar on May 24, 2018, launched ‘Samagra Shiksha’,  an integrated Scheme for school education, extending support to States from pre-school to senior secondary levels for the first time in New Delhi.

The Scheme is a paradigm shift in the conceptual design of school education by treating ‘school’ holistically as a continuum from pre-school, primary, upper primary, secondary and senior secondary levels.

Speaking on this occasion, Javadekar said that in keeping with Prime Minister’s commitment of providing of ‘Sabko Shiksha Achchi Shiksha’, the HRD Ministry has taken a landmark step and completely overhauled the existing Schemes in School Education to treat schooling as a smooth transition from pre-school, primary, upper primary, secondary and senior secondary level. It focuses on improving quality of education at all levels by integrating the two T’s – Teachers and Technology, according to a PIB release.

Javadekar said that the budget on the three schemes ie SSA, RMSA and Teacher Education was Rs 28,000 crore in 2017-18. But the budget outlay on the new scheme will be now Rs 34,000 crore in 2018-19 and  to Rs. 41,000 crore in 2019-20 i.e. an increase of 20% which shows Central Government’s commitment for Education. He said that about one million schools will get library grant of Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000 to strengthen the libraries to ensure  “Padhega Bharat Badhega Bharat”.

He further said every school will get sports equipment under the Samagra Shiksha – Rs 5000 for Primary, Rs 10,000 for Upper Primary & up to Rs 25,000 for SSC & HSC schools to inculcate and emphasise relevance of sports to realise the dream of “Khelega India Khilega India”. Javadekar said Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) will be expanded from Class 6-8 to Class 6-12 with allocation of Rs 4,385.60 crores in 2018-19 & Rs 4,553.10 crores in 2019-20 to fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’.

He said that thescheme will build on the gradewise, subjectwise Learning Outcomes and the largest National Achievement Survey (NAS) conducted in 2017-18 to strategize district level interventions for improving quality of education. This approach would help shift the focus of student learning from content to competencies. The Scheme envisages active participation of all stakeholders especially the parents/guardians, School Management Committee (SMC) members, community and the state functionaries towards the efforts to ensure quality education to children.

Javadekar said that the scheme will make SCERTs and DIETs, the nodal agencies for teacher training.