SARVA SHIKSHA ABHIYAN

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is a comprehensive and integrated flagship programme of government of India ,launched in 2000-01, to attain universal elementary education in the country in a mission mode. It is a response to the demand for quality basic education all over the country. The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is to provide useful and relevant elementary education for all children in the 6 to 14 age group by 2010. The SSA programmme is also an attempt to provide an opportunity for improving human capabilities to all children, through provision of community-owned quality education in a mission mode

An effort at effectively involving the Panchayati Raj Institutions, School Management Committees, Village and Urban Slum Level Education Committees, Parents’ Teachers’ Associations, Mother Teacher Associations, Tribal Autonomous Councils and other grass root level structures in the management of elementary schools.

An expression of political will for universal elementary education across the country. A partnership between the Central, State and the local government. An opportunity for States to develop their own vision of elementary education.

1. All children in school, Education Guarantee Centre, Alternate School, ‘Back-to-School’ camp by 2003.
2. All children complete five years of primary schooling by 2007.
3. All children complete eight years of elementary schooling by 2010.
4. Focus on elementary education of satisfaction quality with emphasis on education for life.
5. Bridge all gender and social category gaps at primary stage by 2007 and at elementary education level at 2010.
6. Universal retention by 2010.

In the 19 Block Education Offices following staff is working for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan

1. 1) Block primary Education Officer Cum Block Project Director Cum Member Secretary.
2. 2) Block Project Coordinator
3. 3) Block Resource persons
4. 4) Asst. block Coordinator
5. 5) Block office Assistant

All the government primary and upper primary schools (including schools running PRI and other local bodies ) are eligible for various types of grants under this scheme.

• CIVIL WORKS

The grants are given to schools for construction purpose. Following are the achievements under this component till date:

Besides the completed activities , the works in some schools are in progress under the above mentioned activities

• *New School building

• * 7 EGS Centers have already been upgraded to primary schools.

• grants to 4 primary schools have been provided @ Rs.9 Lakhs per school for Construction of building for Upgradation of primary to Upper Primary schools. The work is in progress.

• Preparation of learning Enhancement Program / Quality Education:-

Under this, ‘Parho Punjab’ project is being implemented in all the primary schools. Apart from District Level staff there are 19 BMTs ( Block Management Trainees ) at block level ( one for each Education Block)and 112 CMTs at Cluster level ( one for each Cluster of schools) .Activities under this project are :-

1. • Improvement in the learning level of children in language and mathematics at Primary level of education.
2. • Special training and study material (charts, magazines and books) is given to the teachers on how to teach children of different levels and hence enhancing their reading skills
3. • Grouping of every child according to the level of learning and playway methods of teaching .Groups in :-
4. (a) Mathematics: - Numbers , Addition and Subtraction , Division.
5. (b) Language (Punjabi and English) :- Alphabet ,Word , Sentence , Paragraph and story .
6. • Study material including :- Katha Kahani , Gyan Pitara , Bundle Tili ,Currency Notes , Flash cards etc. to make learning easy and enjoyable.
7. • Pragati cards to record monthly achievement of the child .
8. • Grading of schools on the basis of special tests (pre test , mid test and post test) and remedial actions to improve results.
9. • Celebrating reading week and mathematics week.

• Free Text Books

Free Text books are provided to the students belonging to the general category who are enrolled in class 1-8 in the Govt schools and Govt. aided schools. The Department of Social Welfare Punjab is already providing free Text Books to all SC Students in the State. Workbooks are given to all the students by SSA.

• Education Gurantee Scheme and Alternate Innovative Education Centres: -

The main objective of SSA Project is ensure the universalization of elementary education to the 6-14 age group. Due to the serious efforts made by teachers and PASWAK members, there is considerable achievement regarding the enrolment. The targets and achievements till date for 2009-10 are as follows:-

• Main streaming in 2009-10 as per AIEs running in 2008-09

Mostly overage children were getting education in these centres , they were taught special Bridge course curriculum, according to the age and level of the child. The main objective of AIE centres is to provide education to all children and thus mainstreaming them to regular schools

• Facilities provided to these children are:

1. Uniforms, shoes for all AIE children
2. Free books,Stationary for all children.
3. Health Kits( Brush, toothpaste etc.)
4. Blackboards and furniture for all AIE centres.
5. Free educational cum exposure visits.

In the session 2009-10 all these centres are closed ,and the children are being mainstreamed. According to the household survey conducted in Feb, 2009 a total no. of 3630 out of school children were identified. The strategy for providing education to these children in 2009-10 is as follows

• Residential Bridge course-

1. 1. In this, 150 out of school children are covered. It is being run by Red Cross Society Ludhiana at Bal Bhawan, Ferozpur Road , Ludhiana. SSA has provided grant of rs. 15 lakhs to Red Cross for this purpose
2. 2. Another RBC centre is opened at Govt. Primary School 7-A Ludhiana. 50 children are getting education in this centre.

• Shift Schools

Due to Over crowded areas and lack of land to construct new school buildings, double shift is started in two schools recently.At GPS Haibowal Khurd and GPS Chet Singh Nagar .

• Transportation Facility-

In some of the areas where there is problem of access of school facility. Transportation facility has been started for children of those areas to go to schools

• Community Training-

9500 members from village education development committees and community were provided training in 2008-09. In 2009-10 training will be provided in the month of January, February.

• ECCE- Early Childhood Care and Education

SSA recognizes the importance of Early Childhood Care and education in 3-6 years of age, which will run as fore cursor for improving the education System in Elementary education. 70 ECCE centers were running in the government schools where 1726 children were enrolled in 2008-09.But from 1 april onwards, all these centres have been transferred to the CDPO department

• Inclusive Education For Disabled

There are many children in the district who are physically and mentally challenged who needs very special attention. Every year assessment camps are organized in various blocks , where team of doctors assess the disability among the children and recommend the aid required to the child. The aids and artificial limbs like Crutches, wheel chairs , tricycles, hearing aids are provided to children free of cost. In the year 2008-09 -1839 children were assessed by the doctors and following aids and appliances were recommended to many of these children according to their need.These children will be provided aids and treatment shortly.

• Home based education project is also going for counselling and teaching of severly disabled children,at their homes by IERTs (inclusive education resource teachers ).

• Disability Certificate Camps-

12 Camps were organized at various hospitals in Distt. Ludhiana in the month of October, November for providing disability certificates to the children.

• Surgery, Treatment of Cancer –

There is a provision of free surgical treatment of children suffering from hole in heart, Cerebral Palsy etc. 67 such children are identified for treatment. 3 children suffering with Cancer are under treatment.

• Sports for Children With Special Needs:

In the year 2009-10, Special District level were organized for these children on 3rd December ‘ Disability Day’ . In the district level sports , 200 CWSN (HI, VI, OI and MR) participated. 50 sports events were arranged. And the first three winners were given medals and all the participants were given consolation prizes.

• Educational trip for Children With Special Needs

70 children were taken to Hardy’s world in November 2008, along with some DRPs and IERTs as Caretakers

• Remedial Coaching:

Under this component, in 2008-09 volunteers were appointed in Upper Primary Schools to provide coaching in Math ,Science and English subjects to the weak students from class 6-8. The coaching was for 4 months

• Media

Radio sets have been provided to all the primary schools . Special educational programmes are being broadcasted everyday( except holidays and exam days) for children as well as primary teachers. Various topics are taught in easier and interesting ways . This is an effort to create the interest of child in science, maths and general knowledge and also help the teacher and taught to learn in an easy way.

Under this,The project named ‘Parho Punjab’ is being implemented in all the primary schools. The children are categorized into five groups on the basis of their reading levels. Special training and study material( in the form of charts and books) was given to the teachers on how to teach children of different levels and hence enhancing their reading skills.

• Teacher training

In order to improve the teaching quality and levels of teaching, of the government school teachers, SSA is providing training to the entire teaching staff. Training to regular teachers ,Training to volunteers, education volunteers ,ECCE Volunteers, (Nursery School instructors),EGS/AIE volunteers

• Education For SC/ST Students

Vocational classes are running in 33 Upper primary schools in various trades for 8 months. These are some selected upper primary schools where there is concentration of girls.Grant for Raw material and salary of volunteers is given to these schools

1. • Cash prizes of Rs. 2000/-, 1500/- and 1000/- will be given respectively to the first second and third position holders in class 5 to 8th Class SC/ST children
2. • Grant for exposure visits in 100 schools (Rs.4000/- school)

• Girl Education:

are being covered under this Rs.15 lakhs have been sanctioned under this activity, various facilities like cycles, school bags, special awards etc. are being provided to uplift Girls education. In 2009-10, following activities.

1. • Notebooks were provided to girl students in 100 schools(Rs.500/- per school)
2. • KARATE training in 100 schools (Rs.6000/- per school)
3. • grant for exposure visits in 100 schools (Rs.5000/- school)
4. • Showing Meena CD in 100 schools.( 7 LCD projectors were given to blocks.)
5. • Cash prizes of Rs. 2000/-, 1500/- and 1000/- will be given respectively to the first second and third position holders in class 5 to 8th Class girls.

• Activity Based Learning (ABL)

Under this component 10 schools of block Sidhwan Bet –1 were selected. These schools were provided special Learning Kits and the teachers were given training on how to use these kits while teaching. Grant was given for the installation of swings in these schools

Two schools were selected as SSA model schools GPS Salempura and GPS khurshedpura . An additional grant of Rs.1,00,000/- per school was provided for the special and attractive Paint of the building and procuring various items like sports material,musical items,ramp with handrail,drawing of maps on walls and floors,Stage with ramp.

• Other grants for schools

1. Annual grant of Rs. 5000 for primary and 7000 for Upper primary Schools for the replacement of non functional items at school level
2. Annual grant of Rs. 500 per teacher for teacher learning material and teaching aid
3. Annual grant of Rs. 7500 for primary and Upper primary Schools for Repair and maintenance of school.
4. TLE(teaching- learning Equipment) grant @ Rs.20000/- school to 2 EGS upgraded primary schools
5. TLE(teaching- learning Equipment) grant @ Rs.50000/- school to 20 upgraded upper primary schools.

• Monthly tests

In 2009-10, Monthly tests for all students of classes 5 to 10 have been started under SSA from May 2009 for all government schools. Four subjects Maths, english, science and social science are covered under this. Tests in different subjects will be conducted every Monday to assess the monthly performace of children and then taking remedial steps to improve academic results.