Primary Education
National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) conducts National Learners’ Achievement Survey for classes 3, 5, and 8 periodically. Till now two rounds of achievement surveys have been conducted. In the case of class 5 Mathematics, there has been an improvement in learning levels form 46.51 per cent in the 1st round to 48.46 per cent in the 2nd round of achievement survey.
In language, there has been an improvement from 58.57 per cent in the 1st round to 60.31 per cent in the 2nd round, and in Environmental studies the improvement has been from 50.30 per cent in the 1st round to 52.19 per cent in the 2nd round.
Under SSA, several steps have been taken to improve the standard of primary education. These include, inter-alia, recruitment of 10:30 lakh additional teachers to improve Pupil-Teacher Ratio, regular In-service Training of Teachers, distribution of Free Textbooks for children in Primary and Upper Primary classes. Learning Enhancement Programmes for Mathematics and Language, Schools through Block Resources Centres (BRCs) and Cluster Resource Centres (CRCs) etc.
The Central funds allocated for the SSA programme during the 9th Plan, 10th Plan and 11th Plan ( up to 2010-11) are Rs.500.00 crore, Rs.27.896.25 crore and Rs.54.371.00 crore respectively. The Performance Audit report on SSA for the period 2001-02 to 2004-05, submitted by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India in August, 2006, indicates that an amount of Rs.53 crore can be classified as expenditure, not covered under the SSA guidelines.
PIB
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