Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) & Inclusive Education

INTRODUCTION

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (Education for All Movement), or SSA, is an Indian Government programme aimed at the universalisation of primary education "in a time bound manner", the 86th Amendment to the Constitution of India making free and compulsory education to children between the ages of 6 to 14 (estimated to be 206 million children in 2001) a fundamental right (Article- 21A). The programme was pioneered by former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. It aims to educate all children between the ages 6 to 14 by 2010. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is founded by the energetic, committed and willing youth and well-wishers of the society. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan an effort to universalise elementary education by community-ownership of the school system. It is a response to the demand for quality basic education. The SSA programme is also an attempt to provide an opportunity for improving human capabilities to all children, through provision of community-owned quality education in a mission mode.
 

MEANING OF SSA

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan a programme with a clear time frame for universal elementary education.

(1)  A response to the demand for quality basic education all over the country.

(2)  An opportunity for promoting social justice through basic education.

(3)  An effort at effectively involving the Panchayati Raj Institutions, School Management Committees, Village and Urban Slum level Education Committees , Parents.

(4)  Teachers' Associations, Mother Teacher Associations, Tribal Autonomous Councils and other grass root level structures in the management of elementary schools.

(5)  An expression of political will for universal elementary education across the country. A partnership between the Central, State and the local government.

(6)  An opportunity for States to develop their own vision of elementary education.
 

AIMS OF SSA

(1)  To provide useful and elementary education for all children in the 6-14 age group by 2010.

(2)  To bridge social, regional and gender gaps with the active participation of community in the management of schools.

(3)  To allow children to learn about and master their natural environment in order to develop their potential both spiritually and materially.

(4)  To inculcate value-based learning this allows children an opportunity to work for each other’s well being rather than to permit mere selfish pursuits.

(5)  To realize the importance of Early Childhood Care and education and looks at the 0-14 age as a continuum.
 

OBJECTIVES OF SSA

(1)  All children in school. Education Guarantee Centre, Alternate School, ‘Back-to-School’ camp by 2003.

(2)  All children complete five years of primary schooling by 2007.

(3)  All children complete of elementary schooling by 2010.

(4)  Focus on elementary education of satisfactory quality with emphasis on education for life.

(5)  Bridge all gender and social category gaps at primary stage by 2007 and at elementary education level by 2010.

(6)  Universal retention by 2010.
 

SARVA SHIKSHA ABHIYAN AS A FRAMEWORK AND AS A PROGRAMME 

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) has two aspects:

(1)  It provides a wide convergent framework for implementation of Elementary Education schemes.

(2)  It is also a programme with budget provision for strengthening vital areas to achieve universalisation of elementary education.

While all investments in the elementary education sector from the State and the Central Plans will reflect as part of the SSA framework, they will all merge into the SSA programme within the next few years. As a programme, it reflects the additional resource provision for UEE.
 

BROAD STRATEGIES CENTRAL TO SSA PROGRAMME

(1)  Institutional Reforms
As part of the SSA, the Central and the State governments will undertake reforms in order to improve efficiency of the delivery system. The States will have to make an objective assessment of their prevalent education system including educational administration, achievement levels in schools, financial issues, decentralisation and community ownership, review of State Education Act, rationalization of teacher deployment and recruitment of teachers, monitoring and evaluation, status of education of girls, SC/ST and disadvantaged groups, policy regarding private schools and ECCE. Many States have already carried out several changes to improve the delivery system for elementary education.

(2)  Sustainable Financing
The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is based on the premise that financing of elementary education interventions has to be sustainable. This calls for a long – term perspective on financial partnership between tlic Central and the State governments.

(3)  Community Ownership
The programme calls for community ownership of school based interventions through effective decentralisation. This null be augmented by involvement of women’s groups, VEC members and members of Pancliayati Raj institutions.

(4)  Institutional Capacity Building
The SSA conceives a major capacity building role for national, state and district level institutions like NIEPA / NCERT / NCTE / SCERT / SIEMAT / DIET.

(5)  Community Based Monitoring with Full Transparency
The Programme will have a community based monitoring system. The Educational Management Information System (EMIS) will correlate school level data with community-based information from micro planning and surveys. Besides this, every school will be encouraged to share all information with the community, including grants received. A notice board would be put up in every school for this purpose.

(6)  Accountability to Community
SSA envisages cooperation between teachers, parents and PRIs, as well as accountability and transparency to the community.

(7)  Priority to Education of Girls
Education of girls, especially those belonging to the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and minorities, will be one of the principal concerns in Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

(8)  Focus on Special Groups
There will be a focus on the inclusion and participation of children from SC/ST, minority groups, urban deprived children, children of other disadvantaged groups and the children with special needs, in the educational process.

(9)  Thrust on Quality
SSA lays a special thrust on making education at the elementary level useful and relevant for children by improving the curriculum, childcentered activities and effective teaching learning strategies.

(10) Role of Teachers
SSA recognizes the critical and central role of teachers and advocates a focus on their development needs. Setting up of Block Resource Centres/Cluster Resource Centres, recruitment of qualified teachers, opportunities for teacher development through participation in curriculum-related material development, focus on classroom process and exposure visits for teachers are all designed to develop the human resource among teachers.

(11) District Elementary Education Plans
As per the SSA framework, each district will prepare a District Elementary Education Plan reflecting all the investments being made and required in the elementary education sector, with a holistic and 5 convergent approach. There will be a Perspective Plan that will give a framework of activities over a longer time frame to achieve UEE. There will also be an Annual Work Plan and Budget that will list the prioritized activities to be carried out in that year. The Perspective Plan will also be a dynamic document subject to constant improvement in the course of programme implementation.
 

NORMS FOR INTERVENTION UNDER SSA

(1)  Norms for Teachers
One teacher for every 40 children in primary and upper primary. At least two teachers in a primary school. One teacher for every class in the upper primary. Out of the three teachers sanctioned under SSA for every new upper primary school, one each will need to be a teacher with mathematics and science specific educational background. The teacher recruitment will be as per State Governments’ norms.

(2)  Norms for School
Within one Kilometer of every habitation, provision for opening of new schools as per State norms or for setting up EGS like schools in unserved habitations.

(3)  Norms for Classrooms
A room for every teacher or for every grade/class, whichever is lower in primary & upper primary, with the provision that there would be two class rooms with verandah to every primary school with at least two teachers. A room for Head-Master in upper primary school/section

(4)  Norms for Text Books
To all girls/SC/ST children at primary & upper primary level within an upper ceiling of Rs. 150/- per child. State to continue to fund free textbooks being currently provided from the State Plans.

(5)  Norms for Ceiling Work
Ceiling of 33% of SSA programme funds for or improvement of school facilities, BRC/CRC construction, CRCs could also be used as an additional room, No expenditure to be incurred on construction of office buildings, Districts to prepare infrastructure Plan

(6)  Maintenance and Repair of School Buildings
Only through school management committees/VECs, Upto Rs. 5000 per year as per specific proposal by the school committee, Must involve elements of community contribution.

(7)  Facilities for Children in the School
To maintain healthy condition for children 1,70,000/- for every elementary school for rooms. 35,000/- for water & toilet arrangement.

(8)  Teacher’s Training
Training of teachers to develop adequate skills for effective teaching.Availability of training programmes:

Already trained- 30 days training
Non- trained- 60 days training
In-service- 20 days training

(9)  Research, Supervision, Monitoring and Evaluation
Strengthening research work for qualitative improvements, to see whether grant allocated is utilized properly, to study the present status of functioning & seek suggestions for improvements, Issuing of grants at block level & cluster level for conducting research.

(10) Establishment of New Schools
Setting up new schools to enhance quality & quality of EE, Opening of Education Guarantee Scheme (EGS) Centers.

(11) Provision for Education of Girls, SC/ST:

(a)  Special attention towards Early Childhood Care & Education.
(b)  To upgrade Educational Guarantee Scheme Centers into regular schools.
(c)  Opening up of EGS centers with in radius of 1km. Of residential area.
(d)  To bring dropouts into schools.
(e)  To begin with special awareness Programme.
(f)   To increase enrolment and retain it.
(g)  To encourage community groups to share responsibility
(h)  To monitor the attendance.
(i)   To provide special education measures to SEN children.
(j)   To create good teaching learning environment in the schools.
(k)  To provide free books & other facilities to girls & SC,ST
(l)   To monitor the attendance.
(m) To continue with mid-day meal scheme.
(n)  To frame training programmes for community leaders for care & management of schools.
(o)  To provide scholarships & stipends.
 

SSA AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

SSA: Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (The Education for all ), is an Indian Government programme aimed at the universalization of elementary education "in a time bound manner", as mandated by the 86th amendment to the Constitution of India making free and compulsory education to children of ages 6–14 a fundamental right. The programme was pioneered by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: Inclusive Education Inclusive education means full inclusion of children with diverse abilities in all aspects of schooling which other children are able to access and enjoy. It involves regular schools and classrooms genuinely adopting and changing to meet needs of all children as well as celebrating and valuing differences.

Both SSA and Inclusive Education aim to bring all children in mainstream of education. ?Equal access to education is a matter of right not privilege ”
 

MAIN PONTS OF SSA WITH REFERENCE TO INCLUSIVE EDUCATION

(1)  Zero Rejection Policy
It means no child should be deprived of education. SSA emphasis that children with special needs should be brought to common school. Identification of children with special needs with help of Primary Health Centres and Anganwadis should be done.

(2)  Special Needs of Children
Assessment of children with special needs by special teams at block level. Provision of appropriate assistive devices to children with special needs by Government.  Establishment of resource rooms to provide at district level for providing special equipments, learning materials and special teaching techniques.

(3)  Teacher and Parent Training
Teacher training at block level to meet needs of children with diverse abilities. Orientation training for parents to make them aware of their role and help in study. 

(4)  Individualized Education Plan
IEP for children with special needs to made by schools with consultation of experts on basis of disability. Financial provision to children with special needs.

(5)  Promotion of NGOs and Research Activities
Promotion of NGOs and social organization to provide help in educating of children with special needs. Research to be conducted in field of special education and needs of children with disabilities.
 

CONSTRAINTS IN IMPLEMENTATION

(1)  Shortage of teachers/Absenteeism.

(2)  Inadequate Support Manpower.

(3)  Inadequate funds/untimely release of funds.

(4)  Community ownership/participation weak.

(5)  Weak linkages in Monitoring and Supervision.
 

RECOMMENDATIONS/ SUGGESTIONS

(1)  To reduce dropouts/out of school children.

(2)  To improve teacher and student attendance.

(3)  To improve the Quality of Education.

(4)  To improve the school environment.

(5)  To improve monitoring/supervision.

(6)  The Right to Education Act to be implemented by all states.
 

SSA INITIATIVES

(1)  Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat

AIM: To improve the reading and writing skills of Class I and Class II children, and their mathematics skills.It has a twin-track approach:

• Early Reading and Writing with Comprehension – To improve language development with the help of reading and writing. through comprehensions
• Early Mathematics – To create interests in Maths in relation to the physical and social world.

(2)  Shagun Portal
To monitor the progress of SSA, it was launched in 2017.

(3)  Shaala – Siddhi
School Standard Evaluation Programme (Shaala – Siddhi) is an initiative which aids to achieve the goals of SSA. 

(4)  Swachh Vidyalaya
National Campaign – Clean India: Clean Schools. Its main aim is to ensure that every school in India has a set of functioning and well maintained water, sanitation  and hygiene facilities.