‘Only achievement is disbursing salary’
EMN
Dimapur, February 20
Apparently the educational sector in Nagaland has been reduced to such doldrums that the only achievement the sector can claim is in ‘release of salaries,’ as Nagaland’s top administrative official remarked during a recent review of the national educational flagship program, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). Chief Secretary of Nagaland CJ Ponraj has expressed displeasure at the performance of the educational program in the state. The official has attributed the failure to what he called ‘defective funding patterns.’
The meeting of the state executive committee of the SSA was conducted on the 19th of February in the chief secretary’s conference hall in the secretariat in Kohima town.
Addressing the meeting, Chief Secretary CJ Ponraj said that the SSA was a national flagship program for the education sector which he said was also an instrument in the hands of the government under the Right to Education Act.
The meeting reviewed the projects from the previous year over which the chief secretary expressed disappointment at the performance during the period. It was observed that the ‘only achievement’ was the ‘release of salaries up to date.’
The failure to perform was due to the defective funding patterns, the chief secretary said. During the review, the members suggested comprehensive measures to ensure improvement of policy and planning in the state pertaining to the SSA-run schemes.
Ponraj, also the chairman of state’s mission for the SSA, said that the program was an educational interface to offer accessibility, quality data base and innovative education.
‘SSA is an inclusive programme where specific objectives, areas target, intervention and mobilization should all be taken into consideration for procurement and capital to come about,’ he said and suggested that the existing schools have to cover drinking water facilities, residential hostels, research, and teachers’ training as well as ensure database quality. All these should be incorporated into the program, he said.
About the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is Government of India’s flagship programme for achievement of Universalization of Elementary Education (UEE) in a time bound manner, as mandated by 86th amendment to the Constitution of India making free and compulsory Education to the Children of 6-14 years age group, a Fundamental Right.
SSA is being implemented in partnership with State Governments to cover the entire country and address the needs of 192 million children in 1.1 million habitations.
The programme seeks to open new schools in those habitations which do not have schooling facilities and strengthen existing school infrastructure through provision of additional class rooms, toilets, drinking water, maintenance grant and school improvement grants.
Existing schools with inadequate teacher strength are provided with additional teachers, while the capacity of existing teachers is being strengthened by extensive training, grants for developing teaching-learning materials and strengthening of the academic support structure at a cluster, block and district level.
SSA seeks to provide quality elementary education including life skills. SSA has a special focus on girl’s education and children with special needs. SSA also seeks to provide computer education to bridge the digital divide.
