Background : The Current NFE Scheme

1.1 Overview  

The Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Non Formal Education (NFE) was introduced in 1979-80 on a pilot basis with a view to support the formal system in providing education to all children upto the age of 14 years as enunciated in the Directive Principles of the Constitution.  In subsequent years, the NFE scheme was expanded to cover 10 educationally backward states of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.  

The National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986 recognised that the school could not reach all children and a large and systematic programme of non formal education would be required for school dropouts, for children from habitations without schools, working children and girls who could not attend whole day schools. Thus NFE became an important component of the overall strategy for achievement of Universalisation of Elementary Education (UEE). The NFE scheme was revised in 1987-88. While the focus continued to be on 10 educationally backward states, but it also included urban slums, hilly, tribal and desert areas and projects for working children in other states and Union Territories (UTs) as well.  A major portion of the NFE scheme is run by the state governments which set up NFE centres. One component of this scheme provides grants to Voluntary Agencies (VAs) directly from the central government for running of NFE centres and a third is for projects of experimental innovative nature by VAs .  

The Programme of Action (POA) 1992 outlined strategies for strengthening of the NFE scheme including:  

1. Setting up NFE centres based on a micro-planning exercise carried out for UEE.  

2. Central role for community by involving them in setting up of the centre, identification of the instructor and supervision of the NFE centre.  

3. Efforts to evolve different models of NFE programme for different target groups.

4. Adequate training and orientation of NFE instructors. 30 days initial training of instructors and 20 days in subsequent years etc.

5. Linkage with the formal school to facilitate lateral entry of the learners from the NFE stream.

6. Efforts to link non-formal courses with formal schools.

7. Adoption of learner-centered approach. The learning levels for the learners to be equivalent to the formal system.  

1.2 Current Status of NFE Scheme  

• Being implemented in 25 States/UTs by the state governments and by 826 VAs.  

• 2.38 lakh primary and 6800 upper primary centres are presently sanctioned in the state sector.  

• 58,000 primary and 1000 upper primary centres are run by VAs.  

• 41 experimental and innovative education projects are being implemented by VAs.

• Total coverage of children under NFE scheme is about 74 lakh.  

1.3 Review and Assessment of the NFE Scheme

1.3.1   Several evaluations and assessments by state governments, institutions and most notably the Programme Evaluation Organisation (PEO) of the Planning Commission have indicated that the implementation of the Scheme has not been satisfactory.  

The PEO’s findings were:–  

Insufficient involvement of the local community, the Village Education Committees (VECs) and the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).

The absence of linkages for entry at different levels into formal schools and for tie-ups with the National Open School.

The notion that the alternative system is inferior, second-rate and second-grade, both qualitatively and quantitatively.

Insufficient decentralisation of administrative and financial powers.

Insufficient flexibility.  NFE needs to recognise that different children’s groups have different educational needs and modify itself accordingly.

Lack of success with girls.  The attendance at girls’ centres and the number of women functionaries in the programme have been noticeably low.

Poor coordination of the work of VAs with state governments.

Low overall coverage of the scheme.  It covers less than 10% of the out of school children.

Delay in release of funds at all levels.

Poor completion rates for the primary level by children studying NFE centres.  Very low transition rates to the formal system.  

1.3.2  The NFE centres function for two hours daily at a time suitable for learners. But in many states the centres have functioned in the evening and night to accommodate children who are working during the day. The NFE Scheme did advocate flexibility in various aspects of running of the centre but the manner of its implementation resulted in a uniformity and rigidity almost across the country. Certain states like Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh could not implement modified approaches which had been worked out by them within the existing NFE scheme. A large number of NFE centres were set up in habitations which had formal schools and therefore the target of small and scattered SC and ST habitations without schools, did not receive a high priority.

Clearly, in its present form the NFE Scheme could not ensure quality primary education for out of school children and the objectives and measures outlined in the NPE and POA (1992) could not be adequately met. 

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