New Delhi, Apr 1 (UNI) Enrollment of girls and Scheduled Caste and Tribes children has seen an improvement under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) in the 323 districts identified as Special Focus Districts (SFDs), as figures prove.
The Gender Parity Index (GPI) in 2014-15 touched 0.93 for primary level and 0.95 at upper primary level. Enrollment of SC children has gone up from 19.06 per cent in 2010-11 to 19.79 per cent in 2015-16 at elementary level. Enrolment of ST children stood at 10.35 per cent in 2015-16 at elementary level.
Enrolment of Muslim children inched up from 12.50 per cent in 2010-11 to 13.80 per cent in 2015-16 at elementary level, data shows.
Through interventions made under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in the 323 districts identified as Special Focus Districts (SFDs), at the national level the enrolment share of SC children as per Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE), 2015-16, stands at 19.94 per cent and 19.49 per cent at primary and upper primary level respectively, whereas their share in population is 16.6 per cent (as per Census 2011).
Similarly, the enrolment share of ST children at primary and upper primary level as per UDISE 2015-6, is 10.64 per cent and 9.81 per cent respectively against their share in population at 8.6 per cent (as per Census 2011).
Over the years enrollment of girls has seen a surge and from 47.79 per cent in 2005-06 rose to 48.21 per cent in 2015-16 at primary level and at upper primary level it increased to 48.63 per cent in 2015-16 from 48.20 per cent a decade ago, Minister of State for HRD Upendra Kushwaha informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply.
Interventions under the Centrally sponsored scheme of Rashtriya Madyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) to promote girls participation at secondary level appear to have paid off. These include opening of new schools to improve access, strengthening of existing schools, appointment of teachers particularly women teachers, construction of residential quarters for teachers in remote/hilly areas, curriculum reforms to eliminate hidden gender bias, conduct of self defence training for the girls, special programmes for empowerment of girls, stipend for girls with disabilities, Girls Hostel scheme, teacher sensitisation programmes and separate toilet blocks for girls were some of the steps that have built confidence among parents to send their daughters to finish their education.
Further, girls have been exempted from paying tuition fee in Kendriya Vidyalayas, and there is 33 per cent reservation for girls in Navodaya Vidyalayas. These measures have boosted greater turnout of girls in higher classes.
SSA, whose goal is universal enrolment at elementary level, has provided 2.04 lakh primary and 1.59 lakh upper primary schools for ensuring universal provisioning of schooling facilities. Preference for opening of school is given to tribal areas, and areas with high concentration of SC, ST and minority population.
Besides, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs), which are upper primary residential schools for girls belonging predominantly to the SC, ST, Other Backward Caste and minorities, have played an important role in furthering the goal of girls’ education in educationally backward blocks of the country.
Under the SSA, provisions have also been made for residential schools/hostels for children living in sparsely populated areas, children living in areas where schools cannot be opened due to unavailability of land and children in need of care and protection.
This is borne out by the improved performance of SC/ST children. The SC/ST children have performed better than the national average in language, maths, science and social science in many of the states, according to the findings of National Achievement Surveys conducted by the National Council of Educational Research & Training (NCERT).
The SSA aims at bridging gender and social category gaps in elementary education. Consequently, it reaches out to girls and children belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Muslims and other marginalised communities. SSA has also given attention to urban deprived children, children affected by periodic migration, and children living in remote and scattered habitations.
Under the SSA, the districts with high concentration of population of SCs, STs and Muslims have been identified as Special Focus Districts (SFDs). The criteria for identifying the SFDs in case of SCs and STs is a population of 25 per cent and above, while for Muslims, it is 20 per cent and above population. SFDs also include 121 districts identified by Ministry of Minority Affairs to monitor implementation of SSA as part of Prime Minister’s 15 Point Programme and 88 districts identified by Ministry of Home Affairs as districts affected with Left Wing Extremism (LWE).
UNI SD SNU 1057