Lok Sabha Question No. 61 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-18
Subject: New Education Policy
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: T.N. Prathapan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 61 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.11.2019

## New Education Policy

## 61. SHRI T.N. PRATHAPAN:

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

(a) whether the Government has diluted the recommendation of Kasturirangan contained in the  Draft  of  new  educational  policy  on  universal  educational  right for  children  between  3 yrs and 18 yrs, if so, the details thereof;

(b) the details of the new schemes of Government to attract more new comers to school;

(c)  the  programmes  under  the  Government  to  improve  the  teaching  skills  in  primary schools; and

(d) whether the Government has taken initiatives to ensure the health of children in primary classes and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

## (SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK')

(a):  The Committee for the Draft National Education Policy under the Chairmanship of Dr. K. Kasturirangan submitted its report to the Ministry on 31 st May 2019.

(b):  In  2018-19, the Department of School Education and Literacy launched an Integrated Scheme  of  Samagra  Shiksha  which  subsumed  the  three  erstwhile  Centrally  Sponsored Schemes  of  Sarva  Shiksha  Abhiyan  (SSA),  Rashtriya  Madhyamik  Shiksha  Abhiyan (RMSA)  and  Teacher  Education  (TE).  The  new  integrated  scheme  envisages  school education  as  a  continuum  from  pre-school  to  senior  secondary  level  and  aims  to  ensure inclusive  and  equitable  quality  education.  The  major  interventions  are:  universal  access including infrastructure development and retention;  gender and equity; inclusive education; quality; financial support for teacher salary; digital initiatives; entitlements under the right of  children  to  free  and  compulsory  education  (RTE)  Act,  2009  including  uniforms, textbooks  etc.;  pre-school  education;  vocational  education;  sports  and  physical  education; strengthening  of  teacher  education  and  training;  and  monitoring  of  the  scheme.  Under Samagra Shiksha, financial assistance is provided to States and UTs for undertaking various activities to reduce dropouts and increase the enrolment at elementary level by opening/upgrading of new schools, construction of school buildings & additional classrooms,  setting  up  of  Kasturba  Gandhi  Balika  Vidyalayas  (KGBV),  setting  up  of residential  schools/hostels,  free  uniforms,  free  text  books  and  undertaking  enrolment  & retention drives.

(c) and (d): There is a need to move away from rote learning to competency based learning, improve the numeracy and literacy skills and overall learning outcomes, and promote joyful and  experiential  learning  in  an  inclusive  classroom  environment.  To  ensure  safety  and security of children in schools and for dealing with issues related to health and well being of the  students,  the  modern  day  teacher  and  heads  of  schools  have  to  be  equipped  with  the requisite  skills  to  handle  these  issues.  These  were  discussed  with  States/UTs  as  well  as autonomous  organisations.  It  was  recognized  that the  capacity  of  teachers  must  be developed through an integrated training programme with standardized and comprehensive training  modules.  Accordingly,  under  Samagra  Shiksha,  a  massive  Integrated  Teacher Training  Programme  at  the  elementary level, covering  around  42  lakh  participants, including  all  teachers  in  the  Government  elementary  schools,  Principals  and  Heads  of elementary  schools,  faculty  of  District  Institutes  of  Education  and  Training  (DIETs)  and State  Councils  of  Educational  Research  and  Training  (SCERTs),  Block  and  Cluster Resource  Coordinators  has  been  launched.  Specific  training  modules  on  'Developing personal-social qualities and creating safe and healthy school environment' and 'Health and Well Being in Schools' have also been developed. The Integrated Programme trains school heads and teachers to act as first level counsellors, so that they are alert and responsive to the needs of the students and the school.

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