Universalization of education

JORHAT, Sept 26: The State is preparing a proposal for universalization of education at the middle level in government high schools and higher secondary schools under the Rashtriya Madhya Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA). This is in line with the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan which targets the primary level. The District Inspector of Schools’ offices where RMSA would be implemented have been instructed to collate statistics in regard to students, schools, etc., in the middle level and prepare a comprehensive plan which will be discussed thoroughly in a meeting to be held in Guwahati on September 29. Jorhat Inspector of Schools Dr TC Saikia said that, this project would target school dropouts, out of school children and repeaters of Classes IX, X, XI and XII. In Jorhat district there are 26 government higher secondary schools and 51 high schools. Under RMSA there would be a Mission Director at the State-level and the Inspector of Schools as Project officers in each district. The RMSA purports to increase enrolment, make secondary education of good quality available, accessible and affordable to all adolescent girls and boys upto the age of 18 by 2020. It also aims to remove gender, socio-economic and disability barriers and bring all secondary schools to conform to certain prescribed norms and standard. Its goal is to universally access to secondary level education by 2017 and universal retention by 2020. Dr Saikia said that the Centrally-sponsored scheme for universalization of access and improvement of quality education for those in the 14 to 18 age bracket would help in the progress of the Common School System. The scheme was already being implemented in Bihar and Tamil Nadu. THE SENTINEL