Why in news?
On Teachers Day, PM Modi announced the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) Scheme to transform 14,500 schools into model institutions to achieve the objectives of National Education Policy, 2020.
What is the scheme?
- Under the scheme, a total of 14,500 schools across the country to empower student with 21st century skills.
- The scheme will provide high-quality education in an equitable, inclusive environment that takes care of the diverse background, multilingual needs and different academic abilities of children.
- These state-of-art schools will be the laboratory of the new education policy.
- It is a centrally sponsored scheme, in which the cost of implementation is mostly split in a 60:40 ratio between the Union government and the states/UTs.
What are the key features of the scheme?
- Improvement of school infrastructure
- Early childhood care and education – Balvatika, foundational literacy and numeracy
- Development of Green schools
- Modern facilities including ICT
- Counselling focused on well-being and career
- Sports and arts for every child
- Appropriate infrastructure for girls and those with special needs
- Encourage mother tongue and local languages
- Adopting holistic, integrated and learner-centred methods by teachers
- A ‘School Quality Assessment Framework’ to measure the progress and performance of these schools
- Connecting the schools with the local entrepreneurial ecosystem and higher education institutions
A few States like Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal have opposed the new NEP for imposing a centralised education system when education is a State subject.
What about the procedure for selecting the schools?
- All elementary schools, secondary and senior secondary schools that are managed either by the Centre, State, UT, local bodies and have a UDISE+ code can apply.
- Step 1- Schools will be considered only if the State government agrees to implement the NEP in its entirety.
- Step 2- Schools that fulfil the minimum benchmark will be shortlisted.
- Step 3- Teams from States, Kendriya Vidyalaya or Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya schools will visit the applicant institution to inspect and recommend the selected schools to the Ministry of Education.
- The ministry will select a maximum of two schools from a block or urban local body, as applicable.
- The final decision will be taken by an expert committee.
Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) initiated in 2012-13 is one of the largest Management Information Systems on School Education.
How will the PM SHRI scheme benefit schools and students?
- Model schools- Institutions developed under PM SHRI will become model schools and will encapsulate the full spirit of NEP.
- Holistic nature- Pedagogy adopted in these schools will be more experiential, holistic, integrated, toy-based, discovery-oriented, learner-centred, discussion-based and enjoyable.
- Mentorship- PM SHRI Schools will mentor other existing schools in respective regions to spread the NEP Policy at a larger level.
- Tech driven- The PM SHRI Schools will incorporate environment-friendly tools along with being technology driven.
- Conceptual understanding- Assessment for children will be based on conceptual understanding and application of knowledge to real life situations and will be competency-based in every grade.
- Quality assessment- A School Quality Assessment Framework (SQAF) will assess the resources available and their effectiveness.
- Employment- The PM SHRI scheme will cater for internships by collaborating with Sector Skill Councils and local industry thus providing better employment opportunities.
