[ad_1]
In the financial year 2022-23, the Center set aside Rs 37,453 crore out of the Rs 68,804 crore allocated for school education in its budget (Representational Image)
Odisha, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Delhi have not yet signed the MoU with the Union Education Ministry. The scheme aims to upgrade 14,500 schools
Sources said on Thursday that the Center has expressed strong concern over five states not signing the MoU with the Education Ministry for PM SHRI schools and Punjab not implementing it despite continuing to take funds under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme . Odisha, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Delhi are yet to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Union education ministry, while 30 states and union territories (UTs) have done so.
The scheme aims to upgrade 14,500 schools and is expected to benefit 1.8 million students. It also aims to ensure that these schools function as model institutions and encapsulate the spirit of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The government has selected 6,448 schools from 28 states and union territories for upgradation in the first round. “Despite taking funds from the Center for the Holistic Education Scheme, the refusal of five States/UTs, namely Odisha, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Delhi to sign MoUs for PM SHRI schools, marks a disturbing pattern. it shows. After Punjab initially signed the MoU, PM Shri stopped the implementation,” said a source. “This is a clear politicization by the states/UTs, where they accept funds under holistic education but oppose signing an MoU to the PM Shri,” the source said. Asked if the Center could stop funding under the Samagra Shiksha Yojana for these states, the source said, “Nothing can be ruled out”.
Samagra Shiksha Yojana is the biggest scheme of the Central Government for school education for the universalization of education. The scheme also supports states in the implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009; and strengthening and upgrading of State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and other agencies for teacher training. In the financial year 2022-23, the Center has set aside Rs 37,453 crore out of the Rs 68,804 crore allocated for school education in its budget.
[ad_2]
