The Ministry of Human Resource Development launched Rashtriya Aavishkar Abhiyan (RAA) programme on 9th July, 2015, inter alia, as a sub-component of SSA and Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), to motivate and engage children of the age group 6-18 years in Science, Mathematics and Technology through observation, experimentation, inference drawing, model building, etc. both through inside and outside classroom activities and processes.
In addition under SSA programme, a total of 19.78 lakh teacher posts have been sanctioned, against which 15.59 lakh teacher posts have been filled up by States/UTs, upto 31st March, 2015 to improve pupil-teacher ratios, imparting of regular annual-in-service teacher training to all teachers to update their skills & knowledge, distribution of free textbooks to children and providing on-site academic support to teachers through Block Resource Centres and cluster Resource Centres. States/UTs have also been assisted to conduct comprehensive external student assessment surveys to access gaps in student learning, in order to undertake corrective action. Under Computer Aided Learning (CAL) component of SSA, States/UTs have been supported financially to promote e-learning of Science and Mathematics at Upper Primary level.
In order to improve the performance and educational standards, the Central Government through Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) has supported all States/UTs including Maharashtra on early grade reading, writing & comprehension, and early mathematics programmes through a sub-programme namely ‘Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat’, and at upper primary level for Mathematics and Science teaching learning in 2014-15.
The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 provides a legally enforceable rights framework with targets and time frames. Maharashtra has notified its own State rules for RTE and hence the time lines are binding on the State.
This information was given by Union Minister of Human Resource Development Smt. Smriti Irani in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha Question today.
Source: PIB
