Centre approves Rs 791 crore for Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan in Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Union government has sanctioned Rs 791 crore for the implementation of various activities under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan in the state for the academic year 2021-22. The Project Approval Board of the Ministry of Education granted the amount on Friday via videoconferencing. The state had earlier submitted projects worth Rs 1,404 crore for approval. 

In a statement, the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan project officers said the Centre appreciated the state government efforts in renovating public schools and other academic interventions at the time of pandemic. General Education Secretary APM Mohammed Hanish explained the state education department's initiatives during the virtual meeting. 

The Centre sanctioned the amount as the state has fully utilised the project fund. The state representatives also shared the difficulties experienced by Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan officers in the state last year because of low fund dividend received for the project. 

The Project Approval Board has also appreciated the state’s efforts in modernising schools and in making good interventions in academic activities. Various projects proposed for implementation from the primary level to the higher secondary/vocational higher secondary level too have been okayed by the panel. 

The Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan proposes easy learning methods at the higher secondary level too, following their successful implementation at the primary level. Priority will be accorded for providing free textbooks and other study materials.

The Centre has promised the state that the project would be extended to aided schools in addition to government schools. Besides Hanish, general education director K Jeevan Babu and Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan project director A P Kutty Krishnan represented the state in the meeting.