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(1) (2) (3) (4) (4)
5. Number of 3174 2860 + 760 3520
Prehar
pathshalas
6. Number of 3274 3050 + 760 3860
Shiksha
Karmis.
7. Enrolment 104063 111799 + 24000 122112
(a) Boys 64859 72544
(b) Girls 46940 49568
National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NP-
NSPE) 4.12.1 For the first time in the country a nation-wide programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education was launched on the 15th August, 1995. The programme was approved earlier by the Cabinet on 28th July, 1995. The programme is intended to give a boost to universalisation of primary education by increasing enrolment, retention and attendance and simultaneously impacting on nutritional levels of students in primary classes.
4.12.2 The ultimate aim under the programme is provision of whole- some cooked/processed food having a calorific value equivalent to 100gms. of wheat/rice per student per school day. The implementing agencies of the programme, namely, local bodies/authorities such as Panchayats and Nagarpalikas are expected to develop institutional arrangements for providing cooked/processed food within a period of two years from the date of commencement of the programme in the local areas. In the interim period, food grains (wheat or rice) at the rate of 3 Kgs. per student per month subject to a minimum attendance of 80 per cent are being distributed.
4.12.3 The Programme will cover, in a phased manner, commencing from 1995-96, all students of primary classes (I to V) in all Government. local body and Government-aided schools in the country. During the Year 1995-96 all the Revamped Public Distribution System (RPDS)/Employment Assurance Scheme (EAS) Blocks have been covered. In case of Punjab which does not have RPDS/EAS blocks, children in 37 Low Female Literacy (LFL) Blocks are covered. In States/UTs which do not have RPDS/EAS/LFL Blocks, children in notified slums are covered. In 1996-97, the programme will be extended to the remaining LFL blocks in the country. During 1997-98 all primary classes in the remaining blocks and urban areas shall be covered in order to have universal coverage.
4.12.4 The central support under this programme is on the following:
i) Provision of food grains free of cost to the implementing agencies;
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ii) Reimbursement of transportation cost to District authorities for moving of foodgrains from Food Corporation of India godowns to schools/villages at the rate of Rs. 25/- per quintal as applicable under RPDS.
iii) Besides, labour charges for conversion of foodgrains into cooked food as well as expenditure on construction of kitchen sheds, will be eligible for coverage under the Poverty Alleviation Schemes being administered by the Ministry of Rural Development.
4.12.5 The expenditure towards the cost of foodgrains and reimbursment of transportation cost will be incurred by the Ministry of HRD (Department of Education). An amount of Rs. 441.37 crores was spent on the programme during 1995-96.
4.12.6 The Programme has commenced in all the States/UTs. Seven States namely Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Tamil Nadu and U.T. of Pondicherry are serving cooked meal. In Delhi processed food is being served. In rest of the States/UTs foodgrains are being distributed. The number of beneficiaries is about 3.37 crores.
Bihar Education Project 4.13.1 The Bihar Education Project is a basic education project aimed at bringing about qualitative improvement in the educational system and, through it, in overall socio-cultural situation in the State of Bihar.
4.13.2 The Bihar Education Project comprises all components of basic education and was envisaged to cover, in a phased manner, 150 blocks spread over 20 districts over a 5 year period 1991-1992 to 1995-1996. The estimated outlay of the project over 5 year period (1991-1992 to 1995-1996) is Rs. 360 crores with an agreed funding pattern of 3:2:1 between UNICEF, Government of India and Government of Bihar respectively. Special emphasis has been laid on education of hitherto deprived sections of the society such as SCs/STs and the women. BEP is an evolving project with Block as the unit for most of the programme activities. Participatory planning and implementation are important characteristics of the project. Generation of demand for educational services, capacity building and development of participatory management structures are the other crucial elements of the project implementation.
4.13.3 A State level body Bihar Shiksha Pariyojana Parishad (BSPP) has been registered to plan and implement the BEP. The Parishad has two organs the General Council with Chief Minister as Chairman and the Executive Committee with Education Secretary, Govt. of Bihar, as the Chairman. The Government of India, Government of Bihar, UNICEF, Teachers, NGOs, etc., are represented on those bodies. It has its branches at the district level wherein a District Executive Committee, with partnership of the GOI/GOB/UNICEF/Teachers and NGOs, looks after the project planning. For implementation of various components of the project activities, task forces have been set up. At the village level, the Village Education Committee(VEC) is the crucial unit which assists the basic education system in securing the cooperation and participation of the community, and oversee educational inputs. The project is being implemented in a Mission mode.
4.13.4 The Meetings of the Bihar Shiksha Pariyojana Parishad and its Executive Committee were held regularly during the year. The District level management structures
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in all the seven districts have been established. The Meetings of the District Executive Committees and District Task Force were also held regularly.
4.13.5 A mid-term review of the programme taken up during 1994-95 recommended consolidation of the programme in the existing 7 BEP districts and conducting of periodic baseline studies to know the impact of investments on enrolment, retention and learning achievements. The project coverage upto 1995-96 is 100 blocks in the seven districts of Ranchi, W. Champaran, Rohtas, Muzzafarpur, Sitamarhi, E. Singhbhum and Chapra. The major achievements of the programme so far are (a) a strong Mahila Samakhya component; (b) organisation of Village Education Committees and community involvement in the programme implementation at the grassroot level; (c) non-formal education through NGOs. Besides, the project has provided an impetus for a complete overhaul of the teacher education system. The project has had a major impact on attitudes in Bihar towards education at political, administrative and community levels and also played a major role in mobilising greater national and international interest in basic education.
4.13.6 The major activities during 1995-1996 include operationalisation of Village Education Committees(VECs) and training of VECs functionaries; participation of the community in the enrolment drive resulting in enhancement of enrolment, particularly of girl children; distribution of free textbook kits to children of Class I to V; organisation of workshops on UPE; establishment of NFE centres; baseline studies in project districts; Workshops on Microplanning and school mapping; construction/repair of school buildings; provision of toilets and drinking water facilities in schools; special orientation/in-service training of teachers, Head Masters, Inspecting Officers, etc., organising Gurugosthis and bringing out a quarterly magazine; study tours of teachers; expansion of Mahila Samakhya Programme to more areas; setting up of Jagjagi Kendras and MSKs; formation of Mahila Samoohas; construction of Mahila Kutirs; convergence of ICDS, PHED, health and welfare schemes with the educational inputs; bringing out a news magazine 'Pratyush'; organising Balmelas, puppet shows and broadcasting projects- paintings, posters and panel exhibitions; Nukad Nataks;, etc orientation workshop for selected voluntary agencies.
District Primary Education Programme 4.14.1 The District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) is a national initiative to achieve UEE through district level intervention. The overall goal of the programme is the reconstruction of primary education system to operationalise the strategy of UEE as envisaged in NPE 1986 (as updated in 1992) and its Programme of Action (PAO) through decentralised planning and management, disaggregated target setting, community mobilization and district and population specific planning.
4.14.2 DPEP moves away from the earlier schematic seggregated approach and takes a holistic view of elementary education. It goes beyond the conventional packages such as opening of new schools and appointing new teachers and addresses the issues of content, process, quality and equity in education. The fundamental principle of DPEP is to evolve strategy at state and District level which are replicable and sustainable.
4.14.3 The objectives of the programme are:
i) to reduce difference in enrolment, dropout and learning achievement among gender and social groups to less than five per cent.
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ii) to reduce overall primary dropout rates for all students to less than 10 per cent.
iii) to raise average achievement levels of atleast 25 percent over measured baseline levels and ensuring achievement of basic literacy and numeracy competencies and a minimum of 40 per cent achievement levels in other competencies, by all primary school children.
iv) to provide, according to national norms, access for all children to primary education classes(I-V), i.e., primary schooling wherever possible, or its equivalent non-formal education.
4.14.4 The programme would also strengthen the capacity of national, state and district institutions and organisations for the planning, management and evaluation of primary education.
Funding 4.14.5 The total estimated outlay during the VIII plan period for DPEP is Rs. 1950.00 crores out of which Rs.1720.00 crores is to be mobilised from external resources. DPEP implementation had formally started in 1994-1995 in 42 districts in the States of Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Haryana and Assam. Of these 19 districts of Madhya Pradesh are funded by European Community's Programme assistance to DPEP while the remaining State projects are funded by IDA. The financing Agreement with European Community provides for an amount of ECU 150 million (Rs. 585.00 crores) IDA credit to the tune of US $ 260 million (Rs. 800.00 crores) are available for DPEP implementation in the six states. The project period is 7 years in all these 42 districts.
4.14.6 Overseas Development Administration has already indicated to fund DPEP in five districts each of Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. The planning process and project formulation work with involvement of grassroot level people has been initiated and appraisal process will be completed shortly. The State Governments are expected to put the management structure in place for smooth transition from planning stage to implementation stage of DPEP. On the basis of experience gained in DPEP implementation in 7 states, expansion of the programme to districts in new states as well as additional districts in the States already covered by DPEP is envisaged during the 1996-1997 with assistance from multi-national and bilateral donor agencies. Planning process and other pre-project activities are already initiated in 12 districts of Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat and Orissa. During the 8th Five Year Plan attempts are being made to cover 110 districts under DPEP.
Lok Jumbish 4.15.1 An innovative project called "Lok Jumbish: People's movement for Education for All: with assistance from Swedish International Development Authority (SIDA) has been undertaken in Rajasthan. The basic objective of the project is to achieve education for all by the year 2000 through people's mobilisation and their participation. Government of India approved the first phase of the project for a period of two years, 1992-94 to cover 25 blocks spread over several districts with an estimated cost of Rs. 18 crores to be shared by SIDA, Government of India, Government of Rajasthan in the ratio 3:2:1. The Phase-I concluded on 30th June, 1994.
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4.15.2 During the first phase the target for project coverage was achieved (25 blocks) and project interventions were made in several components of primary education like teachers' training, minimum levels of learning, opening of new schools, non-formal education centres etc. The salient achievements of Lok Jumbish Project are Lok Jumbish has been able to set up innovative management structures incorporating the principles of decentralisation and delegation of authority as well as built partnerships with local communities and the voluntary sector; community mobilisation and school mapping; community centred buildings development; focus on girls and socially disadvantaged groups; and improvement in the quality of learning.
4.15.3 The 11 phase of Lok Jumbish project was recently approved which will be implemented between 1994-97. In this phase the project would be extended to 50 blocks. An outlay of Rs. 80 crores has been envisaged for phase 11 sharable between SIDA, GOI and GOR in 3:2:1 basis respectively.
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