(a) whether the Government is keen to provide education to each girl child and in supporting various schemes through the Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Voluntary Organisations (VOs);
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the details of funds allocated to the NGOs/VOs during the last one year and the current year, State-wise, particularly for construction of school buildings and basic amenities i.e. toilets/drinking water/ kitchen purposes?
MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)
(a) to (c): The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 provides free and compulsory education to every child, including girls, of age 6-14 years in a neighbourhood school till completion of elementary education i.e., from first class to eighth class. To encourage the participation of all girls at elementary level, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) provides for the opening of schools in the neighbourhood to make access easier for girls, the appointment of additional teachers including women teachers, free textbooks, free uniforms, separate toilets for girls, teachers’ sensitization programmes to promote girls participation, gender-sensitive teaching learning materials including textbooks and the scheme of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas as residential upper primary schools for girls belonging to SC/ST/Minority Communities, BPL families and girls in difficult circumstances.
Under the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) interventions to promote girls participation in secondary schools include the opening of new schools, the strengthening of existing schools, the appointment of teachers, the construction of residential quarters for teachers in remote/hilly areas, hostel facilities for girls, teacher sensitization programmes and separate toilet blocks for girls. In addition, the National Scheme of Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education (NSIGSE), exemption from paying tuition fee in Kendriya Vidyalayas, and 33% reservation for girls in Navodaya Vidyalayas, are also being implemented.
Under the Assistance for Innovative and Experimental Education (I&E) scheme which is a component of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, there is provision for assistance to Government agencies, educational institutions, panchayati raj institutions, registered societies, public trusts, non profit making companies and voluntary agencies for projects. The overall aim under the scheme is to promote experimentation and innovation for the achievement of goals spelt out in National Policy on Education (NPE). No funds have been sanctioned to any organization in the last one year and current year under the scheme.