The Union human resource development (HRD) ministry has decided to merge its three flagship education development programmes — Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Scheme of Restructuring and Reorganisation of Teacher Education (STE) — from the new academic year.
The three centrally sponsored schemes, which have been in operation for the past about 15 years for improving the quality of education and infrastructure in government schools at elementary (classes 1 to 8) and secondary (classes 9 and 10) levels, will be replaced by a new integrated programme for classes 1 to 12, said an official of the Punjab school education department who is privy to discussions held with Union school education and languages secretary Anil Swarup in Chandigarh last week. Swarup, who was on an official visit to Chandigarh, reviewed the implementation of the centrally sponsored education programmes in the state.
