TRENDS IN FINANCING EDUCATION

TRENDS IN FINANCING EDUCATION

Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)

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Overview

Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS), launched in 2013 aims at providing strategic funding to eligible state higher educational institutions. The central funding (in the ratio of 65:35 for general category States and 90:10 for special category states) would be norm based and outcome dependent. The funding would flow from the central ministry through the state governments/union territories to the State Higher Education Councils before reaching the identified institutions. The funding to states would be made on the basis of critical appraisal of State Higher Education Plans, which would describe each state’s strategy to address issues of equity, access and excellence in higher education.

Objectives

The salient objectives of RUSA are to;

·         Improve the overall quality of state institutions by ensuring conformity to prescribed norms and standards and adopt accreditation as a mandatory quality assurance framework.

·         Usher transformative reforms in the state higher education system by creating a facilitating institutional structure for planning and monitoring at the state level, promoting autonomy in State Universities and improving governance in institutions.

·         Ensure reforms in the affiliation, academic and examination systems.

·         Ensure adequate availability of quality faculty in all higher educational institutions and ensure capacity building at all levels of employment.

·         Create an enabling atmosphere in the higher educational institutions to devote themselves to research and innovations.

·         Expand the institutional base by creating additional capacity in existing institutions and establishing new institutions, in order to achieve enrolment targets.

·         Correct regional imbalances in access to higher education by setting up institutions in un‐served & underserved areas.

·         Improve equity in higher education by providing adequate opportunities of higher education to SC/STs and socially and educationally backward classes; promote inclusion of women, minorities, and differently abled persons.

Components

RUSA would create new universities through upgradation of existing autonomous colleges and conversion of colleges in a cluster. It would create new model degree colleges, new professional colleges and provide infrastructural support to universities and colleges Faculty recruitment support, faculty improvements programmes and leadership development of educational administrators are also an important part of the scheme. In order to enhance skill development the existing central scheme of Polytechnics has been subsumed within RUSA. A separate component to synergise vocational education with higher education has also been included in RUSA. Besides these, RUSA also supports reforming, restructuring and building capacity of institutions in participating state.

Institutional Hierarchy

RUSA is implemented and monitored through an institutional structure comprising the National Mission Authority, Project Approval Board and the National Project Directorate at the centre and the State Higher Education Council and State Project Directorate at the state level

Funding process

RUSA is provided by the central Ministry of Human Resource Development directly to the state and UT governments. From the state/UT budget the funds are disbursed to individual institutions. The funding to states would be made on the basis of critical appraisal of state plans for higher education plans. The amount of funding from central government will be 65% of the total grants, and 35% will be contributed by the state/UT as matching share. For northeastern states, Sikkim,Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttarakand the matching share is waived to 10%.  During the 12th Five-Year Plan period between 2012–2017, RUSA is allotted a financial outlay of INR 228.55 billion, of which INR 162.27 billion will be contributed by the central government. During the first phase, 80 new universities would be created by converting autonomous colleges/colleges in a cluster to state universities. 100 new colleges would be set up and 54 existing colleges would be converted into model degree colleges. Infrastructure grants would be given to 150 universities and 3,500 colleges to upgrade and fill critical gaps in infrastructure especially libraries, laboratories, etc. Further additional 5,000 faculty positions would be supported.  Then the scheme will extend into the 13th Five-Year Plan.

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (English: The Education for All Movement) (SSA), is an Indian Government programme aimed at the universalisation of elementary education "in a time bound manner", as mandated by the 86th amendment to the Constitution of India making free and compulsory education to children of ages 6–14 (estimated to be 205 million in number in 2001) a fundamental right. The programme was pioneered by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

History

As an intervention programme, SSA has been operational since 2000-2001.  However, its roots go back to 1993-1994, when the District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) was launched, with a aim of achieving the objective of universal primary education.  DPEP, over several phases, covered 272 districts in 18 states of the country.  The expenditure on the programme was shared by the Central Government (85%) and the State Governments. The Central share was funded by a number of external agencies, including the World Bank, DFID and UNICEF.  By 2001, more than US$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 enrollment 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.

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.

Main feature of SSA:

1. Programme with a clear time frame for universal elementary education.

2. A response to the demand for quality basic education all over the country.

3. An opportunity for promoting social justice through basic education.

4. A expression of political will for universal elementary education across the country.

5. A partnership between the central, state and the local government.

6. An opportunity for states to develop their own vision of elementary education.

7. An effort at effective involving the Panchyati Raj Institutions, school management Committees, village and urban slum level Education Committees, parent’s Teachers’ Associations, Mother-Teacher Associations, Tribal Autonomous councils and other grassroots level structures in the management of elementary schools.

Aims of SSA:

1. To provide useful and elementary education for all children in the 6-14 age group by 2010.

2. To bridge social, regional and gender gaps with the active participation of community in the management of schools.

3. To allow children to learn about and master their natural environment in order to develop their potential both spiritually and materially.

4. To inculcate value-based learning this allows children an opportunity to work for each other’s well being rather than to permit mere selfish pursuits.

5. To realize the importance of Early Childhood Care and education and looks at the 0-14 age as a continuum.

Objectives of SSA:

1. All children in school. Education Guarantee Centre, Alternate School, ‘Back-to-School’ camp by 2003.

2. All children complete five years of primary schooling by 2007.

3. All children complete of elementary schooling by 2010.

4. Focus on elementary education of satisfactory quality with emphasis on education for life.

5. Bridge all gender and social category gaps at primary stage by 2007 and at elementary education level by 2010.

6. Universal retention by 2010.

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) has two aspects:

1. It provides a wide convergent frame work for implementation of Elementary Education schemes.

2. It is also a programme with budget provision for strengthening vital areas to achieve universalisation of elementary education.

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,Rs. 762 crore was approved to States.. The programme will not only provide print rich environment, timely distribution of books but will also include new teacher mentoring and appraisal system.  [better source needed] SSA has been operational since 2000-2001 to provide for a variety of interventions for universal access and retention, bridging of gender and social category gaps in elementary education and improving the quality of learning. SSA interventions include inter alia, opening of new schools and alternate schooling facilities, construction of schools and additional classrooms, toilets and drinking water, provisioning for teachers, regular teacher in service training and academic resource support, free textbooks& uniforms and support for improving learning achievement levels / outcome. With the passage of the RTE Act, changes have been incorporated into the SSA approach, strategies and norms. The changes encompass the vision and approach to elementary education, guided by the following principles : Holistic view of education, as interpreted in the National Curriculum Framework 2005, with implications for a systemic revamp of the entire content and process of education with significant implications for curriculum, teacher education, educational planning and management. Equity, to mean not only equal opportunity, but also creation of conditions in which the disadvantaged sections of the society – children of SC, ST, Muslim minority, landless agricultural workers and children with special needs, etc. – can avail of the opportunity. Access, not to be confined to ensuring that a school becomes accessible to all children within specified distance but implies an understanding of the educational needs and predicament of the traditionally excluded categories – the SC, ST and others sections of the most disadvantaged groups, the Muslim minority, girls in general, and children with special needs. Gender concern, implying not only an effort to enable girls to keep pace with boys but to view education in the perspective spelt out in the National Policy on Education 1986 /92; i.e. a decisive intervention to bring about a basic change in the status of women. Centrality of teacher, to motivate them to innovate and create a culture in the classroom, and beyond the classroom, that might produce an inclusive environment for children, especially for girls from oppressed and marginalised backgrounds. Moral compulsion is imposed through the RTE Act on parents, teachers, educational administrators and other stakeholders, rather than shifting emphasis on punitive processes. Convergent and integrated system of educational management is pre-requisite for implementation of the RTE law. All states must move in that direction as speedily as feasible

Present goals

Its goals of 2015 are to:

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.

Provide quality elementary education including life skills with a special focus on the education of girls and children with special needs as well as computer education.

Other similar initiatives by NGOs

There are several Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), which are also progressively working in the direction of the upliftment of children, especially in the field of health and education. To name a few of these organizations, Smile Foundation, Pratham, Project Nanhi Kali, Relief India Trust, Plan India and the Qualitative Movement, they are all taking active measures on a regular basis to motivate the underprivileged and deprived children of the society towards education.

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan

SSA has been operational since 2000-2001 to provide for a variety of interventions for universal access and retention, bridging of gender and social category gaps in elementary education and improving the quality of learning. SSA interventions include inter alia, opening of new schools and alternate schooling facilities, construction of schools and additional classrooms, toilets and drinking water, provisioning for teachers, regular teacher in service training and academic resource support, free textbooks& uniforms and support for improving learning achievement levels / outcome. With the passage of the RTE Act, changes have been incorporated into the SSA approach, strategies and norms. The changes encompass the vision and approach to elementary education, guided by the following principles :

• Holistic view of education, as interpreted in the National Curriculum Framework 2005, with implications for a systemic revamp of the entire content and process of education with significant implications for curriculum, teacher education, educational planning and management.
• Equity, to mean not only equal opportunity, but also creation of conditions in which the disadvantaged sections of the society – children of SC, ST, Muslim minority, landless agricultural workers and children with special needs, etc. – can avail of the opportunity.
• Access, not to be confined to ensuring that a school becomes accessible to all children within specified distance but implies an understanding of the educational needs and predicament of the traditionally excluded categories – the SC, ST and others sections of the most disadvantaged groups, the Muslim minority, girls in general, and children with special needs.
• Gender concern, implying not only an effort to enable girls to keep pace with boys but to view education in the perspective spelt out in the National Policy on Education 1986 /92; i.e. a decisive intervention to bring about a basic change in the status of women.
• Centrality of teacher, to motivate them to innovate and create a culture in the classroom, and beyond the classroom, that might produce an inclusive environment for children, especially for girls from oppressed and marginalised backgrounds.
• Moral compulsion is imposed through the RTE Act on parents, teachers, educational administrators and other stakeholders, rather than shifting emphasis on punitive processes.
• Convergent and integrated system of educational management is pre-requisite for implementation of the RTE law. All states must move in that direction as speedily as feasible.

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan

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 bridge the digital divide.

SSA - Education Mission

Providing Quality Basic Education

        Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is an effort to universalise elementary education by community-ownership of the school system. It is a response to the demand for quality basic education all over the country. The SSA 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.

        The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is to provide useful and relevant elementary education for all children in the age group 6 to 14 by 2010. Another goal is to bridge social, regional and gender category gaps with the active participation of the community. Useful and relevant education signifies a quest for an education system that is
not alienating but that draws on community solidarity. The aim is to allow children to learn about and master their natural environment in a manner that facilities the harnessing of their human potential fully. This quest is a process of value based learning that allows children an opportunity to work for each other’s well being rather than to pursue their mere selfish pursuits. This would imply that the children must grow with a social commitment in life.

Major Goals of SSA:

• All children are enrolled in schools, Education Guarantee Centres, Alternative Schools, ‘Back-to-School’ camp by 2005.
• Bridging all gender and social category gaps in primary stage by 2007 and at elementary education level by 2010.
• Focus on elementary education of satisfactory quality with emphasis on education for life.
• Universal retention by 2010.

Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan

Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) (Hindi for "National Mission for Secondary Education") is a centrally sponsored scheme of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, for the development of secondary education in public schools throughout India. It was launched in March 2009. The implementation of the scheme has started from 2009-2010 to provide conditions for an efficient growth, development and equity for all. The scheme includes a multidimensional research, technical consulting, various implementations and funding support.  The principal objectives are to enhance quality of secondary education and increase the total enrollment rate from 52% (as of 2005–2006) to 75% in five years, i.e. from 2009–2014.  It aims to provide universal education for all children between 15–16 years of age.  The funding from the central ministry is provided through state governments, which establish separate implementing agencies.  The total budget allocated during the XI Five Year Plan (2002-2007) was ₹ 2,012 billion.

Objectives

The objectives of Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan can be summarised as follows:

1.            To improve quality of education imparted at secondary level through making all secondary schools conform to prescribed norms.

2.            To remove gender, socio-economic and disability barriers.

3.            Universal access to secondary level education by 2017, i.e., by the end of the XII Five Year Plan.

4.            Universal retention by 2020.

Action plans

RMSA is planned to promote secondary education by establishing in every target school the following infrastructure:

1.            Additional class rooms

2.            Laboratories

3.            Libraries

4.            Art and crafts room

5.            Toilet blocks

6.            Drinking water provisions

7.            Residential hostels for teachers in remote areas

In addition it aims to provide additional teachers to reduce student-teacher to 30:1, focus on science, mathematics and English education, in-service training of teachers, science laboratories, ICT-enabled education, curriculum reforms, and teaching-learning reforms.

Planning for secondary education

Background

•             Since the initiation of the National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986, there has been no major major changes in the structure and organization of the secondary and higher secondary school systems under the Ninth Plan period.

•             The focus in this plan was on minimising the various disparities, to renew the curricula giving importance to vocationalisation and employment-oriented courses. It also give importance to expanding and diversifying the open learning system, teacher training and ICT. Free education and hostel facilities for girls and integrated education for the disabled children was also brought into highlight, etc.

Participation of private sector

•             There was an increased participation of the private sector including non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Currently, these private sectors manage around 51% of the secondary schools and 58% of the higher secondary schools.

•             Opportunities were provided for those children who were not able to enroll themselves in formal education systems through national and state open schools by utilising contact-centres and multi-media packages.

•             It highly emphasized on the content, process and the quality of education especially the environment education, science, mathematics and computer literacy with the financial help from the central government.

•             After the revised NPE policy, 1992, new intiatives like revision of curriculum, resource centres for value education and National Centre for Computer-aided Education etc. have been taken up.

•             The appeal lacks in the vocationalisation of education due to the lack of manpower demand and academic restraints etc. Hence, by 2000, only 10% of the students opt for the vocational streams against 25%.

Planning for children with special needs (CWSN)

•             With the enactment of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995, the education for the CWSN received am impetus. This act entrusts certain governments and authorities for the provision of free access for these children towards education, allotted lands for certain purposes, non-discrimination in transports, financial incentive for them to undertake research etc.

•             This scheme has also taken up programmes for the attitudinal changes and capacity building among teachers for the sake of these children.

Four major heads

•             Quality improvement:

In school, there was promotion of the science laboratories, environmental education, promotion of yoga, as well as centrally sponsored schemes of population education project, international mathematics and science olympiads. The state governments provide in-service training for the teachers and provide infrastructure and research inputs.

•             Information communication technologies (ICT):

ICT comprises the centrally sponsored schemes like computer education and literacy in schools (CLASS) and educational technology (ET) which familiarizes the student with Information technology (IT). Due to the rise in IT demand in today's world, a major importance is given on it. Components of a merged scheme ICT in school include a) funding support towards computer education plans; b) strengthening and reorientation of the staffs of SIETS - state institutes of education and training; c) there is digitalisation of SIETs audio and video cassettes with the partnership of NGOs; and d) management of internet-based education by SIETs.

•             Access and equity:

RMSA not only emphasizes on providing secondary education for the special focus groups that include scheduled tribe and scheduled caste groups, minority girls and CWSN children, but it also give importance on removing the existing disparities in socio-economic and gender background in the secondary level of education. They are termed as the vulnerable/ disadvantaged group. Certain strategies were implemented to provide free excess towards secondary education and they are given as following steps:

1.            Identification of the disadvantaged groups: For this purpose, educational indicators like gross enrollment ratio (GER), net enrollment ratio (NER), drop-out rate, retention rate, gender parity index (GPI), gender gap, etc. were analysed.

2.            Need assessment: This is the critical step to prepare for the equity plan where the factors affecting the education of this group of children were evaluated with the involvement of the community members, teachers, civil society, etc.

3.            Strategising for the addressing gaps: Since there are multiple interwoven factors that cause the un-equitable condition in this scenario, the strategy was called to have a set of multi-dimensional activities.

4.            Project-based proposal: Development of a project-based strategy enables the RMSA to call for an evidence-based and outcome-oriented strategy.

•             Integrated education for disabled children (IEDC):

Inclusive education have been highlighted to bring about expansion in terms of meeting/catering to the needs of the mentally and physically disadvantaged children. This schemes continues to be a separate centrally sponsored scheme. It includes several components for convergence with integrated child development services for early interventions, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) for the particular group at the elementary level, and special schools.

Funding method  

The Ministry of Human Resource Development directly provides funds to the state governments. Each state government then release the funds to the approved implementing agencies or institutions. During the XI Five Year Plan the central government provided 75% of the total fund for each state, while 25% was borne by the state as matching share. However, in the remote northeastern states and Sikkim the matching share was waived to 10%. 

Achievements

The major achievements of RMSA as of 2015-2016 report are:

1.            New school:11,577 new secondary schools were approved out of which, 10082 are functional.

2.            Strengthening of schools: 337,731 have been approved in terms of infrastructure development under this scheme. The details is as follows:

•             Additional classroom: Out of 52750 approved, 20,839 were completed and 16,774 are under progress.

•             Science laboratory: Out of 25,948 approved, 10,107 were completed and 8532 are under progress.

•             Computer room: Out of 21,864 approved, 6920 were completed and 6297 are under progress.

•             Library room: Out of 27,428 approved, 10,133 were completed and 8929 are under progress.

•             Art/Craft room: Out of 31,453 approved, 12,062 were completed and 9686 are under progress.

•             Drinking water: Out of 12,327 approved, 7096 were completed and 2507 are under progress.

•             Teacher quarters: Out of 5408 approved, 623 were completed and 509 are under progress.

•             Major repair: Out of 2975 approved, 1313 were completed and 271 are under progress.[10]

Rise of RMSA  

Due to the impact of the programmes undertaken for the universalisation of elementary education, there is a rise in the demand of education at the secondary level. Despite the increase in the number of secondary schools, the spread of the secondary education throughout the country remains uneven. There are regional disparities, differences in the socio-economic background and in Union Territories. There was narrowing of these significant gender gaps in existing condition. In the Tenth Plan, the key was focused on a quality education at all levels and to pursuit excellence accordingly.

Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA)

Overview

This scheme was launched in March, 2009 with the objective to enhance access to secondary education and to improve its quality. The implementation of the scheme started from 2009-10. It is envisaged to achieve an enrolment rate of 75% from 52.26% in 2005-06 at secondary stage of implementation of the scheme by providing a secondary school within a reasonable distance of any habitation. The other objectives include improving quality of education imparted at secondary level through making all secondary schools conform to prescribed norms, removing gender, socio-economic and disability barriers, providing universal access to secondary level education by 2017, i.e., by the end of 12th Five Year Plan and achieving universal retention by 2020.

Important Physical Facilities Provided Under The Scheme Are:

(i) Additional class rooms, (ii) Laboratories, (iii) Libraries, (iv) Art and crafts room, (v) Toilet blocks, (vi) Drinking water provisions and (vii) Residential Hostels for Teachers in remote areas.

Important Quality Interventions Provided Under The Scheme Are:

(i) appointment of additional teachers to reduce PTR to 30:1, (ii) focus on Science, Math and English education, (iii) In-service training of teachers, (iv) science laboratories, (v) ICT enabled education, (vi) curriculum reforms; and (vii) teaching learning reforms.

Important Equity Interventions Provided In The Scheme Are:

(i) special focus in micro planning (ii) preference to Ashram schools for upgradation (iii) preference to areas with concentration of SC/ST/Minority for opening of schools (iv) special enrolment drive for the weaker section (v) more female teachers in schools; and (vi) separate toilet blocks for girls.

Implementation Mechanism Of The Scheme

The scheme is being implemented by the State government societies established for implementation of the scheme. The central share is released to the implementing agency directly. The applicable State share is also released to the implementing agency by the respective State Governments.

Revision Of Certain Norms Of The Scheme

The Government of India has approved the following revised norms of RMSA, with effect from 01.04.2013 :

• To permit State/UT Governments to use State Schedule of Rates(SSOR) or CPWD Rate, (whichever is lower) for construction of civil works permissible under the RMSA.
• To increase the Management, Monitoring Evaluation and Research (MMER) from 2.2 percent to 4 percent of the total outlay under the programme, with 0.5 percent of the 4 percent earmarked for national level and the rest of the 3.5 percent as part of the State allocation. In cases of States where even with this enhanced allocation of 3.5 percent MMER would not be adequate and would hamper the activities under the head, within the 3.5 percent of the overall State MMER component; variations across State/UTs can be approved by the PAB, subject to a maximum of 5 percent of the outlay in any particular State/UT.
• To subsume the other Centrally Sponsored Schemes of Secondary Education– Information and Communication Technology (ICT)@ School, Girls’ Hostel, Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage(IEDSS) and Vocational Education(VE) in their existing form under the Umbrella of RMSA.
• To extend the benefits of RMSA to aided Secondary Schools (excluding infrastructure support/core areas, i.e. Teacher’s salary and Staff salary) for quality interventions as per RMSA umbrella schemes components for aided schools.
• To continue existing fund sharing pattern of 72:25 for the remaining of the 12th Plan the period for non-NER States and 90:10 for NER States (including Sikkim).
• To authorize the RMSA Project Approval Board (PAB) of the Ministry of Human Resource Development to consider for approval Integrated Plan of the umbrella scheme of RMSA, including the four subsumed Centrally Sponsored Schemes of Secondary Education.
• To authorize the release of funds to the RMSA State Implementation Society directly for all components of the RMSA umbrella scheme.

About RMSA

Overview

Education provides the surest instrument for attaining sustainable development of a high order in a country. In this regard, primary education acts as the basic enabling factor for participation, freedom and overcoming of basic deprivation; whereas secondary education facilitates economic development and establishment of social justice. Over the years, liberalisation and globalisation have led to rapid changes in scientific and technological world and have prompted the general needs of improved quality of life and reduced poverty. This undoubtedly necessitates the school leavers to acquire higher levels of knowledge and skills than what they are essentially imparted with throughout the eight years of elementary education. Also, a crucial stage in the educational hierarchy, secondary education empowers children to aggrandise nations by preparing them for higher education and also the world of work.

Following the recommendations of New Education Policy of 1986 and Programme of Action, 1992 the Government of India initiated different schemes to support children of secondary and higher secondary schools at different points in time. The IEDSS (formerly IEDC), Girls’ Hostel, Vocational Education and ICT@schools schemes were started with the overall objective of providing accessible, and relevant secondary education of good quality in India. Started in 2009 in partnership with State Government and Local Self Government, RMSA was the most recent addition to these four existing schemes.

Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyhan

The Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan is a flagship scheme of Government of India, launched in March, 2009, to enhance access to secondary education and improve its quality. The implementation of the scheme started from 2009-10 to generate human capital and provide sufficient conditions for accelerating growth and development and equity as also quality of life for everyone in India. Largely built upon the successes of SSA and, like SSA, RMSA leverages support from a wide range of stakeholders including multilateral organisations, NGOs, advisors and consultants, research agencies and institutions. The scheme involves multidimensional research, technical consulting, implementation and funding support. Currently in its fourth year of implementation, RMSA covers 50,000 government and local body secondary schools. Besides this, an additional of 30,000 aided secondary schools can also access the benefits of RMSA; but not infrastructure and support in core areas.

Objectives

• The scheme envisages to achieve 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 by 2017, i.e. by the end of the 12th Five Year Plan
• Enhance and universalize retention by 2020

·         Implementation mechanism of the scheme:

·         MHRD is the nodal central government ministry to coordinate RMSA with the help of RMSA State Implementation Societies (SIS) in each state. However, there are a lot of support arrangements and institutions available for better implementation of RMSA. A National Resource Group (NRG) provides guidance for bringing about reforms in teaching learning processes, curriculum, teaching learning material, ICT education and mechanisms of monitoring and evaluation. The Technical Support Group (TSG) supported by MHRD, is a constituent of the NRG and has a direct reporting relationship with the ministry. TSG provides technical and operational support and expertise to national and state level teams.

·         Besides this, various sub-committees like Curriculum Reform Subcommittee, Teacher and Teacher Development Subcommittee, ICT Subcommittee and Planning and Management Subcommittee have been constituted under NRG. These subcommittees comprise members from the TSG and meet thrice a year to apprise themselves of the progress made on mutually set goals and commitments. In addition, NCERT and NUEPA support through dedicated RMSA units. RMSA-TCA has also been set-up for capacity building support with the assistance of DFID. In terms of financial inputs, the central share is released to the implementing agencies directly, whereas the applicable state share is also released to the agencies by the respective State Governments.

Physical Facilities

·         Quality Interventions

·         Equity Interventions

·         Additional class rooms

·         Laboratories

·         Libraries

·         Art and crafts room

·         Toilet blocks

·         Drinking water provisions

·         Residential Hostels for Teachers in remote areas.

Quality Interventions

·         Equity Interventions

·         Appointment of additional teachers to reduce PTR to 30:1

·         Focus on Science, Math and English education

·         In-service training of teachers

·         Science laboratories

·         ICT enabled education

·         Curriculum reforms; and

·         Teaching learning reforms.

Equity Interventions

·         Special focus in micro planning

·         Preference to Ashram schools for upgradation

·         Preference to areas with concentration of SC/ST/Minority for opening of schools

·         Special enrolment drive for the weaker section

·         More female teachers in schools; and

·         Separate toilet blocks for girls.

RMSA KERALA STATE

RASHTRIYA MADHYAMIK SHIKSHA ABHIYAN
(A Scheme for Universalisation of Access to and Improvement of Quality at the Secondary and Higher Secondary Stage)

It is well recognized that eight years of education are insufficient to equip a child for the world of work as also to be a competent adult and citizen. The pressure on Secondary Education is already being felt due to the success of SSA .Therefore, while Secondary Education is not constitutionally compulsory, it is necessary and desirable that access to Secondary Education is universalized leading to enhanced participation and its quality is improved for all.

1.     RASHTRIYA MADHYAMIK SHIKSHA ABHIYAAN

Vision

The vision for secondary education is to make good quality education available, accessible and affordable to all young persons in the age group of 14-18 years. With this vision in mind, the following is to be achieved

• To provide a Secondary school within 5 kms and Higher Secondary school within 7-10 kms
• Ensure universal access of secondary education by 2017
• Universal retention by2020
• Providing access to secondary education with special references to economically weaker sections of the society, the educationally backward, the girls and the disabled children residing in rural areas and other marginalized categories like SC,ST,OBC and Educationally Backward Minorities

Objectives

• To ensure that all secondary schools have physical facilities, staffs and supplies at least according to the prescribed standards through financial support in case of Government /Local Body and Government Aided Schools and appropriate regulatory mechanism in the case of other schools
• To improve access to secondary schooling to all young persons according to norms-through proximate location(say Secondary school within 5 kms and HSS within 7-10 kms),efficient and safe transport arrangements /residing facilities, depending on local circumstances including open schooling. However in hilly and difficult areas these norms can be relaxed. Preferably residential schools may be set up in such areas
• To ensure that no child is deprived of secondary education of satisfactory quality due to gender, socio economic, disability and other barriers
• To improve quality of secondary education resulting in enhanced intellectual, social and cultural learning
• To ensure that all students pursuing secondary education receive education of good quality
• Achievement of the above objectives would also, inter-alia, signify substantial progress in the direction of the common schooling system..

STATE PROJECT DIRECTOR

Sri. KESHVENDRA KUMAR IAS

ADDRESS OF RMSA STATE OFFICE

STATE PROJECT OFFICE
RASHTRIYA MADHYAMIK SHIKSHA ABHIYAN
7^TH FLOOR, TRANS TOWERS, VAZHUTHACADU
THIRUVANANTHAPUAM-14
PH: 0471 2331388

E-MAIL rmsakerala@gmail.com