Literacy scheme on back burner as Govt has no time

The scheme, which proposes to make education compulsory for children in the age-group of 7-14, will be substantially funded by the Central Government. As much as 85 per cent of the funds would come from the Centre and the rest provided by the state governments.

In order to arrest the rate of poverty-related school dropouts, the Central Government is prepared to shell out the initial funds which would be gradually phased out once the scheme takes off. The previous literacy schemes, including operation blackboard and mid-day meal, will also be gradually incorporated into the scheme.

Although at the execution level the scheme will be de-centralised, it proposes to give the structure of elementary education a centrally integrated approach.

The main thrust of the scheme will be enrollment, monitoring and retainment of students in schools whose number will be increased so that distances do not keep the children from joining.

The focus will also be on teachers’ education. The Government is to recruit a large number of para-teachers to do away with absenteeism which has plagued the present schemes involving regular teachers. The new scheme has also been given greater flexibility and a realistic approach to make it realistic and easily assessable to users.