SAMAGRA SHIKSHA

About:

• Background: In May 2018, Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) launched ‘Samagra Siksha’ scheme for holistic development of school education.
  
  
• Holistic (Samagra):
  • ‘Samagra’ means a holistic approach to treat education as a whole. The Scheme sees school education holistically without segmenting it into various levels of education (pre-school, primary, upper primary, secondary and senior secondary levels).
    
    
  • Under it, union government will extend support to States from pre-school to senior secondary levels.
    
    
  • This programme subsumes the three erstwhile Centrally Sponsored Schemes of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education (TE).
    
    
  
  
  
• Two Ts: Quality of education will be improved at all levels by integrating the two T’s –
  • Teachers: SCERTs and DIETs will be strengthened to make them the nodal agencies for teacher training. Focus will be on integration of in-service and pre-service training structures in States.
    
    
  • Technology: Technology will be used to widen the access to good quality education.
    • ‘DIKSHA’ – the national digital platform for teachers – would put high quality teaching learning resources for ready use of teachers.
      
      
    • The Scheme will support ‘Operation Digital Board’ in all secondary schools over a period of 5 years, so as to enhance the use of digital technology through smart classrooms, digital boards and DTH channels.
      
      
    
    
    
  • Budgetary Hike: Earlier the budget on the three schemes i.e. SSA, RMSA and Teacher Education was Rs. 28,000 crore in 2017-18. But the budget outlay on the new scheme will be now Rs. 34,000 crore in 2018-19 and to Rs. 41,000 crore in 2019-20.
    
    
  • Promoting libraries: About one million schools will get library grant of Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 20,000 to strengthen the libraries to ensure “Padhega Bharat Badhega Bharat”.
    
    
  • Promoting sports: The Centre will give government schools grants for buying sports equipment so as to promote “Khelega India Khilega India”.
    
    
  • Promoting Beti Bachao Beti Padhao: Kasturba Gandhi BalikaVidyalaya (KGBV) to be expanded from Class 6-8 to Class 6-12 to ensure Beti Bachao Beti Padhao.