TCE1:- TEACHER EDUCATION

TEC 1: TEACHER EDUCATION

SEMINAR

TOPICS:- DPEP , SSA, RMSA , EFA

District Primary Education Programme (DPEP)

Read this article to learn about the district primary education programme.

The centrally—sponsored scheme of District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) was launched in 1994 as a major initiative to revitalize the primary education system and to achieve the objective of universalisation of primary education.

DPEP adopts a holistic approach to universalize access, retention and improve learning achievement and to reduce disparities among social groups.

Adopting an “area specific approach” with district as the unit, of planning, the key strategies of the programme have been to retain the sensivity to local conditions and ensuring full participation of the community. It also seeks to strengthen the capacity of national, state and district institutions and organisation, for planning, management and professional support in the field of primary education.

DPEP is based on the principle of “additionally” and is structured to fill in the existing gaps by providing inputs over and above the provisions made under central and state sector schemes for primary education. The state governments are required to at least maintain expenditure in real terms at base year level.

The basic objectives of DPEP are:

1. To provide all children access to primary education through either the formal or non-formal stream.

2. To reduce differences in enrolment, drop-out rates and learning achievement among gender and weaker section groups to less than five percent.

3. To reduce overall primary dropout rates for all children to less than 10 percent.

4. To rise the average achievement rate by 25 percent by measured baseline level and ensuring achievement of basic literacy and numeracy competencies and minimum of 40 percent achievement in other competencies by all primary education children.

The bulk of the funds for DPEP came from international bodies such as the UNICEF, ODA (UK), SIDA (Sweden), Netherlands etc. The first phase of the programme was launched in 42 districts in the states of Assam, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh. Later the programme was launched in 80 districts of Orissa, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, UP, West Bengal and Gujarat. The impact studies of the first phase projects are very positive.

The DPEP has made decisive impact on increasing enrolment, reducing stagnation and improving class-room transaction. While the DPEP has been operational in backward districts with female literacy below the national average, total literacy campaign has started up the demand for elementary education.

DPEP is an externally aided project. 85 percent of the project cost is met by the Central Government and the remaining 15 percent is shared by the concerned state government. The central government share is resourced through external assistance.

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)

SARVA SHIKSHA ABHIYAN (SSA) is Government of India's flagship programme for achievement of Universalization of Elementary Education (UEE) in a time bound manner, as mandated by 86th amendment to the Constitution of India making free and compulsory Education to the Children of 6-14 years age group, a Fundamental Right.

SSA is being implemented in partnership with State Governments to cover the entire country and address the needs of 192 million children in 1.1 million habitations.

The programme seeks to open new schools in those 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 grants.

Existing schools with inadequate teacher strength are provided with additional teachers, while the capacity of existing teachers is being strengthened by extensive training, grants for developing teaching-learning materials and strengthening of the academic support structure at a cluster, block and district level.

SSA seeks to provide quality elementary education including life skills. SSA has a special focus on girl's education and children with special needs. SSA also seeks to provide computer education to bR&Dge the digital divide

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan( English: Education for All Movement), or SSA, is an Indian Government programme aimed at the universalisation of primary education "in a time bound manner", the 86th Amendment to the Constitution of India making free and compulsory education to children between the ages of 6 to 14 (estimated to be 206 million children in 2001) a fundamental right (Article- 21A). The programme was pioneered by former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It aims to educate all children between the ages 6 to 14 by 2010. However, the time limit has been pushed forward indefinitely.

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is the biggest ever national plan of primary education in the country after independence. It stands for the development of quality, quantity, equality, and establishment of social justice. SSA is a program for the universalization of elementary education with a clear time frame.

This mission is destined to develop quality education all over the country to ensure and promote social justice. A major principle of this mission is to involve all the agencies, associations, and organizations on the national, state, and local self-government, as equal partners of primary education. The main aim of the mission is the decentralization of the power of educational administration. Such an act will give expression to the political will of the country towards the universalization of elementary education. Keeping in view of its nature and structure, it is quite justified to call this educational mission as Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).

Aims of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)

The Ministry of Human Resource Development has clearly stated the aims of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) with the following points.

1.     The Abhiyan committed to provides useful and relevant education to all children of the age group of 6 to 14 years within 2010.

2.     It aims at removing the social, regional, and sex-differences through active participation of the community people in School management.

3.     It is to make children learn about their natural environment and to master over them.

4.     This mission aims at full utilization of human potential, both materially and spiritually.

5.     Also, the mission aims at education development of value-based learning in children.

6.     They should get the opportunity to work for well being of each other, rather than becoming selfish individuals.

Objectives of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)

The following educational objectives were identified by the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan for its accomplishment.

1.     All children in school will be covered by the year 2003.

2.     All children will complete live years of primary education by 2007.

3.     Also, all children will complete eight years of elementary education in school by 2010.

4.     Attention will be on the satisfactory quality of education for life.

5.     Social and sex discrimination in primary and elementary education will be removed by the year 2010.

6.     Universal retention of children in school will be possible by 2010.

Its Characteristics:

The concept of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is more comprehensive and integrative in nature. Thus, it needs more analysis for the identification of its basic features. Without going into its detail, the following points are its characteristics:

1.     The target of accomplishment of this program has been set in the year 2010.

2.     It wants to involve the community people at all levels in making the mission a people’s movement.

3.     It believes in the decentralization of power and responsibility of the Central and State government in regard to education for all people.

4.     Also, it tries to arouse a new feeling and realization that education is an affaire of the people and its success depends upon mass involvement.

5.     It tries to develop the spirit of the partnership of the Central, State, and Local administration in regard to primary education.

6.     It gives priority to the education of the poorer, unprivileged, and downtrodden section of people in order to bring them to the mainstream of educational development.

7.     Also, it gives special emphasis to the education of women, SC, ST, physically and mentally handicapped and the people living below the poverty line.

8.     It gives equal importance to the development of quality as well as quantity of our primary education.

9.     It encourages modem child-centric methods of teaching, such as joyful learning, learning through observation and innovation.

10. Also, it believes that creating mass-awareness and mass involvement in educations are the key to the universalization of primary education in the country.

History

As an intervention programme, it started on 2002 and SSA has been operational since 2000-2001.^[1] However, its roots go back to 1993-1994, when the District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) was launched, with an aim of achieving the objective of universal primary education.^[2] DPEP, over several phases, covered 272 districts in 18 states of the country.^[3] The expenditure on the programme was shared by the Central Government (85%) and the State Governments (15%). The Central share was funded by a number of external agencies, including the World Bank, Department for International Development (DFID) and UNICEF.^[4] By 2001, more than $1500 million had been committed to the programme, and 50 million children covered in its ambit. In an impact assessment of Phase I of DPEP, the authors concluded that its net impact on minority children was impressive, while there was little evidence of any impact on the enrolment of girls. Nevertheless, they concluded that the investment in DPEP was not a waste, because it introduced a new approach to primary school interventions in India.^[4]

The Right to Education Act (RTE) came into force on 1 April 2010. Some educationists and policy makers believe that, with the passing of this act, SSA has acquired the necessary legal force for its implementation.

 Features

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is a programme for Universal Elementary Education. This programme is also an attempt to provide an opportunity for improving human capabilities to all children through provision of community -owned quality education in a mission mode. It is a response to the demand for quality basic education all over the country. "School Chalen Hum" Poem was written by Mehboob to promote the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) program.

Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat

Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat is a nationwide sub-programme of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.Children who fail to read in early education lag behind in other subjects. The programme is designed to improve comprehensive early reading, writing and early mathematics programme for children in Classes I and II. Under this programme, ₹762 crore (US$110 million) was approved to States.

THE RASHTRIYA MADHYAMIK SHIKSHA ABHIYAN (RMSA) is a flagship scheme of Government of India, to enhance access to secondary education and improve its quality.

Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) aims to increase the enrolment rate by providing a secondary school within reasonable distance of every home. It also aims to improve the quality of secondary education by making all secondary schools conform to prescribed norms, removing gender, socio-economic and disability barriers, and providing universal access to secondary level education.

The implementation of the scheme to generate human capital and provide sufficient conditions for accelerating growth and development and equity as also quality of life for everyone in India. The scheme involves multidimensional research, technical consulting, implementation and funding support.

Objectives

• The scheme envisages achieving a gross enrolment ratio of 75% from 52.26% in 2005-06 for classes IX-X within 5 years of its implementation, by providing a secondary school within reasonable distance of any habitation.
• Improve the quality of education imparted at secondary level by making all secondary schools conform to prescribed norms.
• Remove gender, socio-economic and disability barriers.
• Provide universal access to secondary level education
• Enhance and universalize retention by 2020

Physical Facilities

• Additional class rooms
• Laboratories
• Libraries
• Art and crafts room
• Toilet blocks
• Drinking water provisions
• Residential Hostels for Teachers in remote areas.

Education For All is a global movement led by UNESCO, aiming to meet the learning needs of all children, youth and adults by 2015. EFA was adopted by The Dakar Framework in April 2000 at the World Education Forum in Senegal, Africa, with the goal in mind that all children would receive primary education by 2015. Education for All (EFA) is an international initiative first launched in 1990 to bring the benefits of education to “every citizen in every society.” To realize this aim, a broad coalition of national governments, civil society groups, and development agencies such as UNESCO and the World Bank Group committed to achieving six specific education goals:

1.     Expand and improve comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children.

2.     Ensure that by 2015 all children, particularly girls, those in difficult circumstances, and those belonging to ethnic minorities, have access to and complete, free, and compulsory primary education of good quality.

3.     Ensure that the learning needs of all young people and adults are met through equitable access to appropriate learning and life-skills programs.

4.     Achieve a 50% improvement in adult literacy by 2015, especially for women, and equitable access to basic and continuing education for all adults.

5.     Eliminate gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005, and achieve gender equality in education by 2015, with a focus on ensuring girls' full and equal access to and achievement in basic education of good quality.

6.     Improve all aspects of the quality of education and ensure the excellence of all so that recognized and measurable learning outcomes are achieved by all, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills.

In 2000, 189 countries and their partners adopted the two EFA goals that align with Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2 and 3, which refer to universal primary education and gender parity. The World Bank recognizes that achieving these goals requires supporting the full EFA commitment.

Why is EFA important?

Although there has been steady progress towards achieving many EFA goals, many challenges remain:

• Today, an estimated 250 million children around the world are unable to read and write, even after spending three or more years in school.
• In 2012, 58 million children were out of school; half of these children lived in conflict-affected countries.
• In sub-Saharan Africa, girls accounted for 56% of out-of-school children in 2012.
• In 2011, only 60% of countries had achieved gender parity in enrollment at the primary level and 38% at the secondary level.
• In around one-third of countries, fewer than 75% of primary school teachers are trained according to national standards.
• In 2011, around half of young children had access to pre-primary education, and in sub-Saharan Africa the share was only 18%.

Achieving the Education for All goals is critical for attaining all eight MDGs—in part due to the direct impact of education on child and reproductive health, as well as the fact that EFA has created a body of experience in multi-partner collaboration toward the 2015 targets. Simultaneously, achieving the other MDGs, such as improved health, access to clean drinking water, decreased poverty, and environmental sustainability, are critical to achieving the education MDGs.

What is the World Bank doing to achieve EFA?

The Bank supports EFA through multidimensional efforts to:

• Improve educational quality and learning outcomes
• Improve primary school access and equity
• Improve the dropout and retention rates of girls, as well as their learning outcomes
• Promote early childhood development

Protect EFA prospects in fragile statesThe Bank helps countries achieve their education goals through finance and knowledge services in the forms of analytic work, policy advice, and technical assistance.

Policy work is a key component of the Bank’s work to realize EFA. The Bank’s Systems Approach for Better Education Results Initiative (SABER), for example, collects and analyzes policy data on education systems around the world, using evidence-based frameworks to highlight policies and institutions that matter most to promote learning for all children.

The World Bank Group also supports the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), as a Board Member, host of the GPE Secretariat, trustee and supervising entity for the vast majority of GPE grants.

Finally, the World Bank also supports EFA efforts through analytic work and sharing of global knowledge and good practice. The Bank’s analytic work has, for example, helped establish benchmarks for quality, efficiency, and resource mobilization in the education sector.