Lok Sabha Question No. 3937 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-28
Subject: Awareness about Education Schemes
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Adala Prabhakara Reddy

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  3937 TO BE ANSWERED ON 28 th  MARCH, 2022

## Awareness about Education Schemes

## 3937.  SHRI ADALA PRABHAKARA REDDY:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is aware that most of the rural population across the country are unaware of the schemes under the Ministry of Education; and

(b) if so, the steps taken by the Government to create awareness among the children and their parents in utilizing the available schemes?

## A N S W E R

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SMT. ANNPURNA DEVI)

(a) and (b):   The Ministry of Education, Department of School Education and Literacy has taken various steps to create awareness among the different stakeholders including children and  parents  and  rural  population.  Samagra  Shiksha  is  an  integrated  centrally  sponsored scheme  which  envisages  all  round  development  of  children.  Under  Samagra  Shiksha, financial assistance is provided to the States and UTs for Community Mobilization activities @ ₹ 1500 per school for Government Schools. The Community Mobilisation activities are held  to  enhance  Community  participation  and  monitoring  for  universal  access,  equity  and quality.  Workshops/Lectures/Programmes  are  done  for  creating  Awareness  on  RTE  Act, Learning Outcomes etc.

Training to School Management Committee (SMC)/School Management and Development  Committee  (SMDC)  is  provided  for  their  Capacity  building.  The  financial norms for the same are up to ₹ 3000 per school for Government schools.

Department of School Education & Literacy, in coordination with State Governments and UT Administrations, has been observing Swachhata Pakhwada from the year 2016 from 1st -15th September every year. The schools and students across all states and UTs have been participating whole-heartedly in the Swachhata Pakhwada every year. As per report furnished by States/UTs, 3,78,15,074 students of 7,82,827 schools, participated in Swachhata Pakhwada, 2021.

A  teacher's  fest,  'Shikshak  Parv'  was  especially  organized  from  8th  to  25th September 2020 for discussing various recommendations of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020  and  its implementation  strategies, which  attracted around  15  lakh  suggestions. Department of School Education and Literacy incorporated these suggestions in development of  an  indicative  and  suggestive  NEP  Implementation  Plan  for  School  Education,  called 'Students' and Teachers' Holistic Advancement through Quality Education (SARTHAQ)'.

Another teacher's fest in the series, 'Shikshak Parv- 2021' was organized from 7th to 17th  September  2021  to  generate  awareness  about  the  implementation  of  New  Education Policy.  Shikshak  Parv-  2021  experienced  wide  participation  from  practitioners  of  school education like Teachers, Principals, etc. who shared their experiences on webinars based on the theme: 'Quality and Sustainable Schools: Learnings from Schools in India'.

A large number of teachers, principals, students, parents and stakeholders attended the Shikshak  Parv  inaugural  conclave  and  subsequent  webinars across the country.  The celebration  of  'Shikshak  Parv  2021'  not  only  encouraged  innovative  practices  to  ensure improved  quality, inclusive practices and  sustainability in school education  but also developed confidence in all Education Stakeholders for a successful implementation of the National Education Policy-2020 across the country.

Ministry regularly undertakes extensive print & audio visual media campaign, nationwide awareness programme including Kala Jathas, Road shows, Public meetings, Padayatras; advertisements on railway tickets and bus panels etc. to generate awareness about the benefits of education for adults.

Further, 'One year achievement booklet' on various initiatives undertaken by Ministry of  Education  for  implementation  of  the  NEP-2020  was  released  on  24th  August  2021.  It highlighted  the  efforts  made  by  the  Ministry  for  the  implementation  of  NEP  2020  in  a mission mode and accomplishing 62 major milestones with a view to transform the school education sector.

In addition, a very successful social media campaign was run by the Department of School  Education  and  Literacy  in  the  months  of  December,  2021  and  January,  2022  for creating awareness among masses regarding the numerous achievements and initiatives taken by the Department under the purview of NEP-2020. A campaign with theme #NEP2020InAction, was run on Twitter from Dec 1, 2021 onwards. It highlighted Ministry's various schemes/ initiatives including those targeted at the rural India. Posts with this hashtag reached 55,67,126 people till 28 th February, 2022.

Department  School  Education  and  Literacy,  Ministry  of  Education,  Government  of India has launched a 100 days Nation Wide Reading Campaign called Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat starting from 1st January 2022 so that each child learns to read with comprehension, in a joyful manner, as per the vision of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Social media posts  with  #100DaysReadingCampaign  have  reached  76,14,646  people  and  #PadheBharat has reached 75,93,859 people.

Under  PM  POSHAN  Scheme,  provision  has  been  made  in  the  Guidelines  for  the awareness generation of the parents and other community members to know about the rights of their children w.r.t. Mid-Day Meal. Para 6.3 of the Guidelines envisages the 'Display of Information under Right to Information Act'. Ministry has requested all States/UTs to issue necessary  instruction  to  spread  awareness  among  the  children  and  their  parents  about  the Scheme.  Posts  creating  awareness  on  #PMPoshanScheme  on  Twitter  reached  50,51,294 people till 30 th September, 2021.

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