THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The General Education Department executive committee headed by its Secretary A Shahjahan has given in-principle nod to the draft project report which puts the estimated cost of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyaan(SSA) implementation during the 2019-20 period at Rs 1,506 crore. The report will be submitted for final approval at the HRD Ministry’s annual meeting on May 10.
Various projects proposed for implementation from the primary level to the higher secondary/vocational higher secondary level too have been okayed by the panel. Significantly, this is the first time the state government gave the go-ahead for submitting the report to the Centre since the SSA’s inception here.
In the report, the SSA proposes easy learning methods at the higher secondary level also following their successful implementation at the primary level. Priority will be accorded for providing free textbooks, uniforms and other study materials.
Besides, the report includes recommendations to resolve the national and state-level educational system’s shortcomings thrown up by the progress survey. Similarly, the easy learning methods of SSA, including ‘Malayalathilakkam’, ‘Hello English’ and ‘Sureeli Hindi’ for primary and high schools will be extended to the higher secondary level. The easy learning methods for mathematics and social science have been included in the draft project report which makes out a case for rebuilding schools damaged in mid-August’s flood havoc.
Additionally, SSA Kerala has drawn up a master plan for effective functioning of pre-school education. It is for the first time a government agency is considering the pre-school sector. The plan is being implemented in 420 schools in the state in the first phase as part of strengthening pre-school education.
First time
This is the first time the state government gave the go-ahead for submitting the report to the Centre since the SSA’s inception here.
The General Education Department executive committee has okayed various projects proposed for implementation from the primary level to the higher secondary/VHSE level
SSA scheme
Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan is a scheme that subsumes three Centrally-sponsored schemes - SSA, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and teacher education.