Lok Sabha Question No. 25 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-17
Subject: Quality of Education
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: BALASUBRAMANIAM SENGUTTUVAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 25 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17 TH  JULY, 2017

## Quality of Education

## 25.   SHRI B. SENGUTTUVAN:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that the Government has increased the spending on schools particularly between 2011 and 2016 and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether it is also a fact that despite the increase in the literacy rate, the quality of education and the quality of teaching have declined sharply over the past few years and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government is aware that students from some States are not competent enough as compared to the students from other countries and if so, the reasons therefor; and

(d) the proactive steps taken/ proposed to be taken by the Government to improve the quality of education and the teaching methods in the country?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI UPENDRA KUSHWAHA)

(a): The Government of India is currently implementing the Centrally Sponsored Schemes of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan (SSA) and Mid-Day Meal (MDM) for the universalization of elementary education and the Rashtriya  Madhyamik  Shiksha  Abhiyan  (RMSA)  programme  for  the universalization of secondary education. The Central share releases under these Schemes during 2010-11 to 2016-17 are as under:-

(Rs. in Crore)

| Year      | Release of Central Share   | Release of Central Share   | Release of Central Share   |
|-----------|----------------------------|----------------------------|----------------------------|
| Year      | SSA                        | RMSA                       | MDM                        |
| 2010-2011 | 19636.53                   | 1481.95                    | 9128.44                    |
| 2011-2012 | 20866.30                   | 2499.81                    | 9901.91                    |
| 2012-2013 | 23858.01                   | 3171.62                    | 10867.90                   |
| 2013-2014 | 24820.93                   | 3045.85                    | 10927.21                   |
| 2014-2015 | 24122.51                   | 3398.33                    | 10526.97                   |
| 2015-2016 | 21666.52                   | 3561.61                    | 9151.55                    |
| 2016-2017 | 21678.47                   | 3699.91                    | 9483.40                    |

(b) to (d): The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 lays down the duties of the appropriate Government and the local authority to ensure that good quality elementary education conforming to norms and standards is provided, that curriculum and courses of  study  are  prescribed  in  a  timely  manner,  and  that  teachers  are  trained.  In  order  to  focus  on quality education, the Central RTE Rules have been amended on 20th February, 2017 to include reference on class-wise, subject-wise Learning Outcomes. The Learning Outcomes for each class in Languages (Hindi, English and Urdu), Mathematics, Environmental Studies, Science and Social Science up to the elementary stage have, accordingly, been finalized and shared with all States and UTs. These would serve as a guideline for States and UTs to ensure that all children acquire appropriate learning level.

Under  the  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  of  Sarva  Shiksha  Abhiyan  (SSA),  the  State Governments and UT Administrations are supported on several interventions to improve teaching standards,  including  regular  in-service  teachers'  training,  induction  training  for  newly  recruited teachers,  training  of  all  untrained  teachers  to  acquire  professional  qualifications  through  Open Distance Learning (ODL) mode, recruitment of additional teachers for improving pupil-teacher ratios, academic support for teachers through block and cluster resource centres,  continuous and comprehensive evaluation system to equip the teacher to measure pupil performance and provide remedial action wherever required, and teacher and school grants for development of appropriate teaching-learning materials, etc.

Additionally,  the  Central  Government,  supports  States  and  UTs  on  early  grade  reading, writing & comprehension, and early Mathematics programmes through a sub-programme of SSA namely 'Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat' (PBBB) in classes I and II. Further, the Government has launched  Rashtriya  Aavishkar  Abhiyan  (RAA)  programme  on  09.07.2015,  inter  alia,  as  a  subcomponent of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), to motivate  and  engage  children  of  the  age  group  from  6-18  years  in  Science,  Mathematics  and Technology through observation, experimentation, inference drawing, model building, etc. both through inside and outside classroom activities.

In order to provide  quality education  to students at the secondary  level, various interventions  are  funded  under  the  RMSA,  a  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme.  These  include provision for: (i) Appointment of 1 head teacher and 5 teachers (2 language teachers, 1 science teacher,  1  social  science  and  1  maths  teacher)  for  every  new/upgraded  secondary  school,  (ii) additional  teachers  to  improve  Pupil  Teacher  Ratio,  (iii)  induction  and  in-service  training  for Principals, Teachers , Master Trainers and Key Resource Persons, (iv) Maths and Science kits, (v) Lab equipments, (vi) Special teaching for learning enhancement, (vii) ICT facilities in schools, (viii)  introduction  of  vocational  education  component  at  the  secondary  level  and  (ix)  activities under 'Unnati' project for improvement in English language skills.

The Central Board of Secondary Education has decided to make Xth Board Examination compulsory  from  the  academic  year  2017-18.  It  has  also  introduced  a  uniform  system  of Assessment, Examination and Report Card for classes VI-IX that would prepare the students to face the challenge of Class X examination.

Further, for improving the quality of school education, the School Standards & Evaluation framework,  known  as  'Shaala  Siddhi'  has  been  launched  by  NUEPA,  to  enable  schools  to evaluate their performance in a more focused and strategic manner and to facilitate them to make professional judgments for improvement.