Eleventh Five Year Plan

1Education1.1 ELEMENTARY EDUCATION AND LITERACY1.1.1 The role of education in facilitating socialand economic progress is well recognized. It opensup opportunities leading to both individual andgroup entitlements. Education, in its broadest senseof development of youth, is the most crucial input forempowering people with skills and knowledge andgiving them access to productive employment infuture. Improvements in education are not onlyexpected to enhance efficiency but also augment theoverall quality of life. The Eleventh Plan places thehighest priority on education as a central instrumentfor achieving rapid and inclusive growth. It presentsa comprehensive strategy for strengthening the educationsector covering all segments of the educationpyramid.1.1.2 Elementary education, that is, classes I–VIII consistingof primary (I–V) and upper primary (VI–VIII)is the foundation of the pyramid in the educationsystem and has received a major push in the TenthPlan through the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).1.1.3 In view of the demands of rapidly changing technologyand the growth of knowledge economy, a mereeight years of elementary education would be grosslyinadequate for our young children to acquire necessaryskills to compete in the job market. Therefore,a Mission for Secondary Education is essential toconsolidate the gains of SSA and to move forward inestablishing a knowledge society.1.1.4 The Eleventh Plan must also pay attention to theproblems in the higher education sector, where thereis a need to expand the system and also to improvequality.1.1.5 The Eleventh Plan will also have to addressmajor challenges including bridging regional, social,and gender gaps at all levels of education.ELEMENTARY EDUCATION IN THE TENTH PLANMajor Schemes in the Tenth Plan1.1.6 The Tenth Plan laid emphasis on Universalizationof Elementary Education (UEE) guided by five parameters:(i) Universal Access, (ii) Universal Enrolment,(iii) Universal Retention, (iv) Universal Achievement,and (v) Equity. The major schemes of elementary educationsector during the Tenth Plan included SSA, DistrictPrimary Education Programme (DPEP), NationalProgramme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education,commonly known as Mid-Day Meal Scheme(MDMS), Teacher Education Scheme, and KasturbaGandhi Balika Vidyalaya Scheme (KGBVS). Theschemes of Lok Jumbish and Shiksha Karmi were completedbut DPEP will extend up to November 2008.KGBV has now been subsumed within SSA.Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)1.1.7 SSA, the principal programme for UEE, is theculmination of all previous endeavours and experiencesin implementing various education programmes.