States Oppose PM-SHRI

• 17 Jul 2024

Source: IE

As per a report published by Indian Express, The Education Ministry has stopped funds under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), to Delhi, Punjab and West Bengal because of their reluctance to participate in the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) scheme.

• The scheme includes a provision for establishing over 14,500 PM SHRI Schools (PM Schools for Rising India) by enhancing existing schools managed by the Central government, State/UT governments, and local bodies to showcase the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. 
  • The Centre will cover 60% of the financial burden and states will cover 40% and the States must confirm their participation by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Education Ministry.
• Five states - Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Delhi, Punjab, and West Bengal have not signed the MoU. 
  • Tamil Nadu and Kerala have shown willingness, while Delhi, Punjab, and West Bengal have refused, leading to the Centre stopping their SSA funds.
• 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.

Read More: PM SHRI Schools