Lok Sabha Question No. 226 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-04
Subject: Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan/Teachers’ Training/ Gender Equality in Education
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Sanjay(Kaka) Ramchandra Patil, Sanjeev Kumar Singari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

## DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO226

## ANSWERED ON- 04/12/2023

## SAMAGRA SHIKSHA ABHIYAN/TEACHERS' TRAINING/GENDER EQUALITY IN EDUCATION

## 226. SHRI SANJAY KAKA PATIL:

DR. SANJEEV KUMAR SINGARI:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a)  the  features  of  the  Samagra  Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) to ensure a seamless continuity of education from pre-school to Class 12;

(b)  whether  the  SSA  considering  the  significance  of  teacher  education  collaborates  with institutions like SCERTs and DIETs in order to improve the prospective teachers' quality and ensure effective in-service training;

(c) if so, the details thereof; and

(d)  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  promote  gender  equality  in  education  and  its approach to self-defence training for girls under SSA?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  The  Department  of  School  Education  and  Literacy  is  implementing  an  Integrated Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  for  School  Education-  Samagra  Shiksha  from  2018-19.  The scheme has been redesigned and aligned with the recommendations of the National Education Policy, 2020. It aims to ensure that all children, from pre-school to class 12, have access to quality education with an equitable and inclusive classroom environment which should take care of their diverse background, multilingual needs, different academic abilities and make them active participants in the learning process. The major  features of the Scheme are: (i) Support  States  and  UTs  in  implementing  the  recommendations  of  the  National  Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020); (ii) Support States in implementation of Right of Children to Free and  Compulsory  Education  (RTE)  Act,  2009;  (iii)  Focus  on  Early  Childhood  Care  and Education;  (iv)  Emphasis  on  Foundational  Literacy  and  Numeracy;  (v)  Thrust  on  Holistic, Integrated,  Inclusive  and  activity  based  Curriculum  and  Pedagogy  to  impart  21st  century skills  among  the  students;  (vi)  Provision  of  quality  education  and  enhancing  learning outcomes  of  students;  (vii)  Bridging  Social  and  Gender  Gaps  in  School  Education;  (viii) Ensuring equity and inclusion at all levels of school education; (ix) Strengthening and upgradation of State Councils for Educational Research and Training (SCERTs)/State Institutes of Education and District Institutes for Education and Training (DIET) as nodal agency for teacher training; (x) Ensuring  safe, secure and conducive  learning  environment  and maintenance of standards in schooling provisions and (xi) Promoting vocational education.

(b)  and  (c):  The  State  Councils  of  Educational  Research  and  Training  (SCERTs)  and  the District  Institutes  of  Education  and  Training  (DIETs)  are  an  integral  part  of  the  Samagra Shiksha  scheme.  One  of  the  major  objectives  under  the  scheme  is  strengthening  and  upgradation of SCERTs/State Institutes of Education and DIET as a nodal agency for teacher training.  Under  the  scheme,  financial  assistance  is  also  provided  to  all  the  States/UTs  for strengthening  of  the  SCERTs  and  DIETs  and  to  emphasize  the  integration  of  training structures, the SCERT has been designated as the nodal agency in the state for conduct of Teacher's  Training  and  preparation/conduct  of  combined  annual  teacher  training  calendars for all teachers, from ECCE to the senior secondary level.

In-service  teacher  and  teacher  educators  training  have  been  an  important  aspect  of erstwhile Schemes of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA)  and  Teacher  Education  (TE).  These  trainings  were  conducted  by  the  concerned States and UTs through SCERTs and the DIETs. Financial provision was also provided in the Project Approval Board meetings under these schemes as per state specific proposals for inservice  teacher  training  including  training  of  master  trainers  and  teacher  educators.  The erstwhile schemes of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA)  and  Teacher  Education  (TE)  have  been  subsumed  in  the  integrated  centrally sponsored scheme, namely, Samagra Shiksha- effective from 2018-19.

The  Department  of  School  Education  and  Literacy  has  also  launched  a  National Mission to improve learning outcomes at the elementary level through an Integrated Teacher Training Programme called NISHTHA - National Initiative for School Heads' and Teachers' Holistic Advancement, under the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Samagra Shiksha in 201920. NISHTHA is a capacity building programme for "Improving Quality of School Education through Integrated Teacher Training".  NISHTHA training has been extended to secondary level  teachers  and  to  Foundational  Literacy  and  Numeracy  and  Early  Childhood  Care  and Education (ECCE) for training of master trainers.

(d): Bridging gender and social category gaps at all levels of school education is one of the  major  objectives  of  Samagra  Shiksha.  The  scheme  reaches  out  to  girls,  and  children belonging  to  SC,  ST,  minority  communities  and  transgender.  Under  Samagra  Shiksha, various interventions have been targeted for girls, which include opening of schools in the neighbourhood  to  make  access  easier  for  girls,  free  uniform  and  text-books  to  girls  up  to Class  VIII,  additional  teachers  and  residential  quarters  for  teachers  in  remote/hilly  areas, appointment of additional teachers including women teachers, stipend to CWSN girls from class I to class XII, separate toilets for girls, teachers sensitization programmes to promote girls  participation,  gender-sensitive  teaching-learning  materials  including  text  books,  Self Defence Training, provision of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas etc.

NISHTHA,  inter-alia,  covers  relevance  of  Gender  Dimensions  in  Teaching  and Learning Process, which helps teachers to use and adopt learning activities that foster gender sensitive classroom environment. Further, teachers are also oriented on counseling, provisions  of  POCSO  Act,  Juvenile  Justice  Act,  School  Safety  guidelines,  helpline  and emergency numbers, drop-box for complaints, etc.

Further,  Self  Defence  training  is  imparted  under  'Rani  Laxmi  Bai  Aatma  Raksha Prashikshan' to girls of classes VI to XII, studying in Government Schools, to ensure safety and security of girls, empower girls to tackle risk of assault and boost their self-confidence. Self  defence  training  is  also  given  in  Kasturba  Gandhi  Balika  Vidyalayas  (KGBVs). Financial assistance is provided for this component under Samagra Shiksha.

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