New Delhi: Poor physical infrastructure and
paucity of teachers continue to mar the performance of the
government`s flagship Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) scheme, says
a Planning Commission study.
"Fifty percent (of schools) do not have a boundary walls
and separate toilets for girls...60 percent do not have
electricity. 88 percent do not have a computer", it points
out.
The study, aimed at evaluating the performance of the
SSA, reveals that 18 percent of teachers` posts have not been
filled.
According to the study, most of the schools in Assam,
Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and West Bengal do not have boundary
walls.
Shortage of teachers was witnessed in states like Assam,
Haryana, Bihar, UP, Maharashtra, Puducherry and MP.
Launched in 2001 as a flagship programme, SSA seeks to
provide useful and relevant education to all children in the
age group of 6-14 years by 2012.
The study found poor infrastructure facilities for
elementary education in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and
Maharashtra.
The study says there is lack of monitoring and
supervision of SSA in states, including West Bengal, Tamil
Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar and Himachal Pradesh.
The government has earmarked Rs 4,239 crore for the SSA
during the current financial year against the budget estimate
of Rs 4,250 crore in previous fiscal.
The revised estimates indicate an amount of Rs 4,659.67
crore was spent under the scheme in 2008-09.
For conducting the study, the states were divided into
five zones. The samples were drawn from the the rural as well
as urban slum areas.
A sample of 1,790 students was drawn from 222 schools,
1,150 households, 115 villages, 58 blocks of 29 districts of
rural area. Covering the urban area, a sample of 255 students
was taken from 28 schools and from 240 dwelling units in 22
slums 13 towns.
The SSA programme covers the entire country and schools
except private unaided schools. The objectives of the scheme
is to see all children in schools by 2005 and to bridge all
gender and social category gaps at primary stage by 2007 and
at elementary education level by 2010.
Bureau Report
