Approach and Strategy

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secondar y education with special references to fo cus groups - i.e. economically and educationally backward sections, the girls and the disabled children residing in rural areas, and other marginalized categories like SC, ST, OBC and Educationally Backward Minorities (EBM).

The vision should be expanded to include "Enabling the students to enter the world of work. This is especially important, as the data indicates that a large number of children drop out of school or do not enroll for higher education after secondary/ higher secondary level of education and start working

Goals: Universal Access to Secondary Schooling; Equality and Social Justice; Relevance and Development; Curricular and Structural Aspects; and Promotion of Common School System.

(1) Rationalizing facilities across secondary schools as per norms. That is, ensuring physical facilities, staff and supplies in all secondary schools, at least according to the prescribed standards through financial support in case of Government/ Local Body and Government aided schools, and appropriate regulatory mechanism in the case of other schools.

(2) Improving access to secondary schooling to

all young persons according to norms -- secondary schools within 5 kms, and higher Higher Level of Equity: Providing access to

Objectives:

¡ Rationalization of teacher deployment and appointment of additional teachers, and in- service training of teachers;

¡ Learning enhancement interventions for

students entering class IX;

¡ Reviewing curriculum to meet the NCF,

2005 norms; and

¡ Residential accommodation for teachers in

rural and difficult hilly areas with focus on creating accommodation facilities for female teachers.

Equity

¡ Providing separate toilets for girls in

schools;

¡ Providing all necessary facilities for the differently abled children in all schools;

¡ Expansion of Open and Distance Learning;

and.

¡ Under other schemes it is suggested that States take advantage of centrally sponsored scheme, centre sector scheme and state schemes for providing free lodging and boarding facilities, scholarship and cash incentives to disadvantage group of students like girls, SC, ST, OBC and minority community

¡ Reforms in school governance--improving

school performance by decentralizing management and accountability;

¡ Adopting a rational policy of teacher

1.3 Institutional Reforms and Strengthening of Resource Institutions

recruitment, deployment, training, remuneration and career advancement;

¡ Undertaking reforms in educational

administration, including modernization/ e - g ov e r n a n c e a n d d e l e g at i o n / d e - centralization;

¡ Provision of necessary professional and

academic inputs in the secondary education system at all levels, i.e., from the school level upwards;

¡ Streamlining financial procedures for

speedy flow of funds and their optimal utilization;

¡ Strengthening of resource institutions for improving support services at all levels.

¡ Involvement of Panchayati Raj Institutions

and Municipal Bodies, Community, Teachers, Parents and other stakeholders in the management of Secondary Education, through bodies like School Management C o m m i t t e e s a n d P a r e n t - Te a c h e r Associations, in planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation processes.

¡ Subsuming in the RMSA all existing

centrally sponsored schemes for secondary education;

¡ Making provisions for earning while

learning for children who want to work, by preparing them for self employment or part-time employment; and

¡ States/UTs may establish vocational

training centers (VTC) and institutions at the block, district levels.

¡ Promoting pace-setting schools, such as

secondary schools within 7-10 kms; efficient and safe transport arrangements/ residential facilities; expansion of open schooling; residential schools in hilly and difficult areas.

(3) Delivering secondary education of good

quality to all, irrespective of gender, socio- economic, disability and other barriers. (4) Enhancing intellectual, social and cultural

learning in secondary schooling.

Access

¡ Expansion and strengthening of existing

Secondary Schools & Higher Secondary Schools;

¡ Upgradation of Upper Primary Schools

based on school mapping exercise, with all the necessary infrastructure facilities and teachers;

¡ Upgradation of Secondary Schools to

Higher Secondary Schools based upon the school mapping exercise;

¡ Opening of new Schools in unserved areas

based on the school mapping exercise; and

¡ Promoting PPP models in the expansion of

the secondary schooling network.

Quality Improvement

¡ Improving enabling conditions in schools-

i.e. providing required infrastructure in secondary schools, improved teaching learning processes and making the social, affective and academic environment conducive to learning;

1.2 Approach and Strategy

—

secondar y education with special references to fo cus groups - i.e. economically and educationally backward sections, the girls and the disabled children residing in rural areas, and other marginalized categories like SC, ST, OBC and Educationally Backward Minorities (EBM).

The vision should be expanded to include "Enabling the students to enter the world of work. This is especially important, as the data indicates that a large number of children drop out of school or do not enroll for higher education after secondary/ higher secondary level of education and start working

Goals: Universal Access to Secondary Schooling; Equality and Social Justice; Relevance and Development; Curricular and Structural Aspects; and Promotion of Common School System.

(1) Rationalizing facilities across secondary schools as per norms. That is, ensuring physical facilities, staff and supplies in all secondary schools, at least according to the prescribed standards through financial support in case of Government/ Local Body and Government aided schools, and appropriate regulatory mechanism in the case of other schools.

(2) Improving access to secondary schooling to

all young persons according to norms -- secondary schools within 5 kms, and higher Higher Level of Equity: Providing access to

Objectives:

¡ Examination reforms - focus on continuous and c omprehe ns ive s cho ol b a s e d assessment

¡ Strengthening of guidance and counseling

services at the school level - provision of Guidance and Counseling Grant to the States for strengthening of Guidance Bureaus in States.

¡ Capacity development programmes for

planners, administrators, supervisors, local government/SDMC members, etc.

¡ Leadership development programmes for

school heads.

(Education for Girls, Scheduled Caste and Tribal Children, Children from Educationally Backward Minority Community and Children with Disability, etc.)

1.6.1 Girls' Education

¡ Gender component in all interventions.

¡ Community mobilization and sensitization

programmes

¡ Promotion of participation in planning and

management of school affairs.

¡ Distribution of incentives like uniforms,

scholarships, bicycles, educational provisions like textbooks and stationery. ¡ Provision of transport facilities to the girls. ¡ State transport/pass facility may be made

available to the girls for going to nearby secondary/ higher secondary schools in rural areas.