Lok Sabha Question No. 3062 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-15
Subject: Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Supriya Sadanand Sule, Amol Ramsing Kolhe, Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Subhash Ramrao Bhamre, DNV Senthilkumar. S., Sunil Dattatray Tatkare

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3062 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.03.2021

## Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan

## 3062. SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE:

DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE:

SHRI KULDEEP RAI SHARMA:

DR. SUBHASH RAMRAO BHAMRE:

DR. DNV SENTHILKUMAR. S.:

SHRI SUNIL DATTATRAY TATKARE:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), an integrated scheme for School education has failed to achieve the objective for which it was set up and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (b) the challenges faced by the Government while implementing the said Abhiyan in all the States including Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Andaman Nicobar;
- (c) the number of schools upgraded from Secondary to Senior Secondary level and the number of Senior Secondary Schools where additional subject streams have been approved, based on appraisal of the proposals received from the States of Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra ;
- (d) whether the Government has assessed the implementation of SSA and if so, the outcome of the assessment along with the corrective steps taken on the shortcomings; and
- (e) whether the Government is giving special emphasis on rural areas under the said programme and if so, the details thereof along with the achievement made thereunder so far ?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF EDUCATION (SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK')

- (a): Samagra Shiksha is 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. It was launched in 2018-19 and subsumes the three erstwhile centrally sponsored schemes of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education (TE).

The Integrated Scheme envisages the 'school' as a continuum from pre-school, primary, upper primary, secondary to senior secondary levels. For the first time, under the scheme, library grant, sports grant, upgradation of schools including KGBVs upto Sr. Secondary level, Self Defence training from upper-primary to Sr. Secondary level, Annual Grants to Teacher Education Institutions, Technology support to TEIs, support at pre-primary level has been provided. Thus, the Scheme is helping in breaking the silos in school education by creating a single & unified structure for implementation and extends financial support from pre-primary to senior secondary level to States and UTs for implementation of major interventions across all levels of school education.

(b) to (e): Under Samagra Shiksha, the annual plans are prepared by the States and UTs based on their requirements and priority and this is reflected in their respective Annual Work Plan and Budget (AWP&B) Proposals. These plans are then appraised and approved/estimated by the Project Approval Board (PAB) in the Department of School Education & Literacy in consultation with the States and UTs as per the programmatic and financial norms of the scheme, availability of funds and physical and financial progress of the State for the interventions approved earlier. Accordingly, 6 secondary schools have been approved for upgradation to Senior Secondary schools in Tamil Nadu from 201819 to 2020-21. No proposal was received from Maharashtra in this regard.

A third party evaluation of the scheme was carried out by NITI Aayog in 2020. As per the report, the scheme is important/ relevant for the country to reach its goals committed for school education and the scheme had been effective in terms of improving the overall access to education for majority of the school-age population, ensuring teacher availability and improving the Gross Enrolment Ratio. Further, under Samagra Shiksha, equity consideration is at the core with not only dedicated 'Equity and Inclusiveness Interventions' but with also additional provisions under 'Access' interventions aimed at improving inclusion. Also, the Scheme has a robust Monitoring & Evaluation mechanism and converges with key Government programmes/departments and other schemes to widen its ecosystem. Niti Aayog study has recommended to have more focus on learning outcomes, capacity building of teachers, convergence with various Ministries/ Departments, focus on foundational learning, vocational education to make the scheme more effective.

Based on the recommendations of evaluation study and intensive consultations with all States/UTs/Ministries, the norms of Samagra Shiksha have been revised and included in the EFC note for further extension of the scheme.

Under Samagra Shiksha, financial assistance is provided to States and UTs, including for rural areas, for undertaking various interventions for enhancing access, equity and quality of education. Further, under Samagra Shiksha, preference is given to Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs), LWE affected districts, Special Focus Districts (SFDs), Border areas and the 115 Aspirational Districts. The achievements of Samagra Shiksha are as follows:

-  During 2018-19 to 2019-20, 1140 schools have been upgraded at Elementary, Secondary and Higher Secondary level, 35 new residential schools/ hostels have been opened, 25088 schools have been strengthened (including Additional classrooms), 6.96 lakh schools have been provided library facilities, 9.34 lakh
- schools have been provided sports equipment facility, 9563 schools have been covered under ICT & Digital initiatives, 4371 schools have been covered under vocational education, 733 KGBVs have been upgraded from class VIII to class X, 380 KGBVs have been upgraded from class VIII to class XII and 7154 separate girls toilets have been constructed.
-  Also, during 2019-20, 5.07 lakh out of school children have been provided special training at elementary level, 6.78 lakh children have been provided transport and escort facility, 21.58 lakh children have been covered under Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act, 6.89 cr children have been provided free uniforms, 8.78 cr children have been provided free textbooks at elementary level, 1.76 cr children have been provided remedial teaching, 28.84 lakh teachers have been trained, 166528 schools provided self defence training to girls, 3.22 lakh CWSN girls have been provided stipend and 24030 special educators have been provided financial assistance.
-  In addition, during 2018-19, 4.78 lakh out of school children have been provided special training at elementary level, 4.24 lakh children have been provided transport and escort facility, 16.76 lakh children have been covered under Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act, 6.96 cr children have been provided free uniforms, 8.72 cr children have been provided free textbooks at elementary level, 0.74 cr children have been provided remedial teaching, 14.58 lakh teachers have been trained, 69173 schools provided self defence training to girls, 3.79 lakh CWSN girls have been provided stipend and 23183 special educators have been provided financial assistance.

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