Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and mid-day meal in Punjab

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is the national flagship programme to achieve universal elementary education in a mission mode. The goals of SSA are as follows:-

• All 6-14 age children in school/EGS (Education Guarantee Scheme); Alternate School ‘Back to school camp’, by 2005;
• Bridge all gender and social category gaps at primary stage by 2007 and at elementary education level by 2010;
• Universal retention by 2010;
• Focus on elementary education of satisfactory quality with emphasis on education for life;

   Highlights for 2006-07

• Allocation of Rs.11000 crores for SSA.
• 3.57 lakh additional classrooms.
• 2.36 lakh additional teachers.
• Focus on quality & improving learning levels (at least 10% in 2006-07).
• Dropout rate to be reduced by 5% at primary level.
• Focus on select districts for reducing out of school children and social categories.

Progress against key input targets of SSA [All India]

Sl.No.	Item	Targets including 2005-06	Achievement upto 31.3.2006		% Cumulative achievement		Targets 2006-07
1.	Opening of New Schools	173799	129893		82%		66273
2.	Teachers appointed	776018	592218		76%		221740
3.	Construction of a. School Buildings b. Additional Classrooms	120629 329690	Comp 71143 155814	IP 31587 170225	Comp 58% 47%	Comp.& IP 85% 99%	60855 357939
4.	Enrolment in EGS/AIE Centres	87 lakh children	63 lakh		71%		12196697
5.	Children receiving free textbooks	6.14 cr.	5.02 cr.		82%		6.48 cr.
6.	Functional Academic Resource Centres ·         Block level ·         Cluster level	7422 70772	7201 66140		97% 93.5%		113 5915

Progress in Educational Indicators

• 2.45 crore children have joined the education system since the launch of SSA
• Out of school children

(In Crores)

2001-02             2002-03             2003-04             2004-05              2005.06

3.20                    2.49                   1.16                1.35                      0.75

• Independent Study conducted in – July/August 2005, estimates 1.34 cr. children out of school. 6.94% children in 6-14 age group are out of school and in that 2.1%

      are dropouts & 4.8% never enrolled.

• Dropout rate has declined by 7.7 percentage points; 11.4 p.p. decline for girls. (2001-02 to 2003-04).

• Primary girls enrolment increased by 19.2% & at upper primary level by 15% (2001-02 to 2003-04).

• Share of SC students 20.6% at primary and 19.4% at upper primary

• Share of ST students 10.8% at primary and 8.5% at upper primary.

Transition rate from primary to upper primary 87%

For the year 2006-07, the Government of India has earmarked Rs. 175 crore as its share for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in Punjab.

2. Mid-Day Meal Scheme

National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (commonly known as Mid-Day Meal Scheme) today is the largest school nutritional programme in the world covering nearly 12 crore children in more than 9.5 lakhs primary schools/Education Guarantee Scheme (EGS)/Alternative and Innovative Education (AIE) centers. The scheme provides a hot cooked meal of a minimum 450 calories and 12 gms of protein.

The Scheme has been revised in June 2006 to ensure provision of mid day meal of adequate nutritional value and provide additional central support to States/UTs.Central assistance is provided to States/UTs for the following components:-

1)       Free food grains of 100 grms (rice/wheat) per child, per school a day

2)       Cooking assistance @ Rs1.50 per child per school day.

3)       Reimbursement of transportation cost @ Rs.75 per quintal.

4)       Assistance for management, monitoring and evaluation @ 1.8 per cent of 1) to  3).

 In the Union Budget 2006-07, Outlay for Mid-Day Meal Scheme has been increased by 60% i.e. from Rs.3345 crores for 2005-06 to Rs.5348 crores for 2006-07.

 The scheme in its first year of implementation, has led to the following positive outcomes:-

1)       Elimination of class room hunger

2)       Increase in enrollment, more significantly of girls

3)       Surge in daily attendance, particularly of girls and children from poorer sections

4)       Improvement in retention, learning ability and achievement

5)       Curbing of teacher absentism.

6)       Narrowing of social distance

7)       A rallying point for parents involvement in governance of schools

Progress of Mid-Day Meal Scheme in Punjab

Central Assistance released during 2006-07

[as on 10.11.2006]

(i)         Coverage (No. of Children)                                               :   1488412

(ii)    Foodgrains Allocation (in Metric Tonnes)                  :  29401.81

(iii) Central Assistance disbursed (Rs. in lakhs):

a)       Cooking cost                                                           :   1964.70

b)       Transport Subsidy                                        :         4.35

c)       Management, Monitoring & Evaluation           :       75.20

d)      Amount sanctioned for Kitchen-cum-Store      :   1592.39

e)       Amount sanctioned for Kitchen Devices         :     217.37

Total (Rs. In lakhs)       :   3854.01

.........

HB/RP/SB

(Release ID :22089)

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