Online Module for Compiling Out-of-School Children’s Data

• 12 Jun 2021

Why in News

The Ministry of Education has developed an online module for compiling out-of-school (due to Covid-19 pandemic) children’s data identified by each State/UT.

• The collected data will be mapped with special training centres on the PRABANDH portal of Samagra Shiksha.

Key Points

• About the Module:
  
  • Through the module, the government will facilitate age-appropriate admissions of children in the age group of 6-14 years and those belonging to socially and economically disadvantaged groups.
  • Also, for out of school children in the 16-18 years age group, financial assistance will be provided for the first time in the session 2021-22, to continue their education through open/distance learning mode.
• About PRABANDH Portal:
  
  • PRABANDH (PRoject Appraisal, Budgeting, Achievements and Data Handling System) is a step towards leveraging technology to increase efficiency and manage the implementation of a centrally sponsored integrated scheme for schooling- Samagra Shiksha.
  • It is to have transparency and accuracy in the System w.r.t Approvals, Releases, Financial Status.
  • Also streamline the Financial Management System, to enable more accurate assessment of actual requirement of funds for implementation.

Samagra Shiksha

• Key Provisions:
  
  • Samagra Shiksha is an integrated scheme for school education extending from pre-school to class XII to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels of school education.
  • It subsumes the three Schemes of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education (TE).
  • The main emphasis of the Scheme is on improving the quality of school education by focussing on the two T’s – Teacher and Technology.
• Vision:
  
  • It complements the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) for Education , i.e. SDG 4 (Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong opportunities for all).
  • It aims to support States in the implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.
    
    • Right to Education Act (RTE) is a fundamental right under Article 21-A of the Constitution of India.
    • The Act makes education a fundamental right of every child between the ages of 6 and 14 and specifies minimum norms in elementary schools.
• Funding Pattern:
  
  • The Scheme is being implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
    
    • The fund sharing pattern for the scheme between Centre and States is at present in the ratio of 90:10 for the North-Eastern States and the Himalayan States and 60:40 for all other States and Union Territories with Legislature.
    • It is 100% centrally sponsored for Union Territories without Legislature.
• Focus on Digital Education:
  
  • Support ‘Operation Digital Board’ in all secondary schools over a period of 5 years, which will revolutionize education- easy to understand, technology based learning classrooms will become flipped classrooms.
  • Digital initiatives like UDISE+, Shagun, to be strengthened.
  • Strengthening of ICT infrastructure in schools from upper primary to higher secondary level.

Other Important Schemes to Improve Online Education System

• PM eVidya Programme:
  
  • A programme for multimode access to digital/ online education.
• Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds (SWAYAM)
  
  • The objective is to ensure that every student in the country has access to the best quality higher education at the affordable cost.
• Integrated Online junction for School Education ‘Shagun’
  
  • It is an overarching initiative to improve the school education system by creating a junction for all online portals and websites relating to various activities of the Department of School Education and Literacy in the Government of India and all States and Union Territories.
• Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) and UDISE+
  
  • UDISE, initiated in 2012-13 for elementary and secondary education, is one of the largest Management Information Systems on School Education covering more than 1.5 million schools, 9.4 million teachers and almost 250 million children.
  • UDISE+ is an updated and improved version of UDISE.
• NISHTHA: Teachers' Training Programme
  
  • To improve learning outcomes at the elementary level through an Integrated Teacher Training Programme.
• Education Quality Upgradation and Inclusion Programme (EQUIP)
  
  • A five-year vision plan aiming at ushering transformation in India’s higher education system by implementing strategic interventions in the sector over five years (2019-2024).
  • Sets out to deliver further on principles of Access, Inclusion, Quality, Excellence and enhancing employability in Higher Education.
• Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)
  
  • It is a centrally sponsored scheme launched in October 2013 that aims at providing strategic funding to higher education institutions throughout the country.

Source: TH