Question : SARVA SHIKSHA ABHIYAN

(a) the year in which Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) was launched in the country including its salient features;

(b) whether it was targeted to bring every child to school by the year 2005 under SSA;

(c) if so, whether the said target was achieved and if not, the reasons therefor;

(d) whether the Government has commissioned any agency to conduct independent survey to find out how many children are still out of school;

(e) if so, the details thereof including the name of commissioned agency and the findings of the survey; and

(f) the measures taken by the Government in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SMT. D. PURANDESWARI)

(a): Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), a national flagship programme of Government of India, was launched in 2000-01 for universalisation of elementary education for all children in the 6-14 years age group. SSA goals include universal access and retention, bridging of gender and social category gaps in education and improvement in the quality of education. SSA is implemented in partnership with States and UTs. SSA interventions include opening of new schools in un-served habitations, strengthening of schools through improvement in school infrastructure, recruitment of additional teachers, provision of text books, school and teacher grants, regular training of teachers, etc. In addition, interventions under SSA aim at building community support, flexible schooling for the hardest to reach children, residential hostel buildings in remote tribal areas and special provisions for girls, SC and ST children.

(b) & (c): Yes, Sir. The main reasons for children remaining out-of-school are economic backwardness, and the need for children to help their parents in domestic work or family business.

(d) to (f): Ministry of Human Resource Development commissioned two independent surveys in 2005 and 2009 to estimate the number of out of school children in the country. The 2005 study revealed that there were 134.6 lakh out of school children, representing 6.94% of the total children in the 6-13 age group. The 2009 survey indicates that the number of out of school children has decreased to 81.5 lakh (4.28%). Thus, there has been a reduction of 53.1 lakh out of school children and in percentage terms a reduction of 2.66 percentage points over the period of 4 years.

SSA interventions for out of school children to school include, inter alia, Residential Bridge Courses and Non- Residential Bridge Courses under the Education Guarantee Centres and Alternative and Innovative Education Centres.