Ensure Quality of Education in Schools Across the Country

Keekli Bureau, 25th November, 2019, Shimla

Quality of education is a comprehensive term that includes learners, teachers, teaching learning process, learning environment, curriculum, pedagogy, learning outcomes, assessment, etc. To take cognizance of this, Government of India launched Samagra Shiksha-an Integrated Scheme for school education, w.e.f. 2018-19, as an overarching programme for the school education sector extending from pre-school to class XII and aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels of school education, Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ stated.

It subsumes the three erstwhile Schemes of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education (TE). Samagra Shiksha focuses on improvement in quality of education by providing support for different interventions like in-service training of teachers and school heads, conduct of achievement surveys at state and national level, composite school grant to every school for providing a conducive learning environment, grants for library, sports and physical activities, support for Rashtriya Avishkar Abhiyan, ICT and digital initiatives, School Leadership development programme, remedial teaching for academically weaker students, support for Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat, etc.

National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has been advised to take appropriate steps to review the National Curriculum Framework – 2005. The Draft National Education Policy 2019 is presently under consideration. The revision of Curriculum, Syllabi and Textbooks for school education would depend on the finalization and approval of the New Education Policy.