The World Bank has approved two projects worth $ 1.05 billion (over Rs 4,800 crore) for India, aimed at expanding the reach of primary schools and the quality of engineering education in the country.
“The World Bank today approved two education projects worth USD 1.05 billion for India, designed to boost the number of children enrolling in and completing elementary school, and to improve quality of engineering education across the country,” it said in a statement.
It further said India has made significant progress in meeting its education goals, especially at the primary level.
Through its 86th constitutional amendment in 2002, India mandated elementary education as a fundamental right of every child.
The same year, the government also launched the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), a nationwide program to take quality elementary education to all children.
The Bank has supported the SSA with total grants of USD 1.1 billion since 2003, it added.
“SSA -- now the largest ongoing Education for All (EFA) program in the world -- has been remarkably successful, particularly in achieving greater access to elementary education,” said Roberto Zagha, World Bank Country Director for India.
Between 2003 and 2009, the number of children reportedly enrolled in elementary education in India increased by 57 million to 192 million.
Keywords: World Bank, education sector, India, primary schools, engineering colleges
Yeah..its really a good decision and we all should be thankful to world bank to help us to improve our education quality.
It is good to see that World Bank has been in fore front to universalise primary education in India.there is no doubt that lack of fund also contribute in quality as well as reach of education. In my opinion lack of proper guidelines are contributing in degradation of quality in technical education. Primary education is vital foundation without good primary education it is extremally difficult to provide good higher education .so it is up to the goverment to minimise obstacles which are preventing to provide quality primary education. Also there is need to restructure our education system to meet current challenges.
World Bank's initiative on improving education in India is an admirable decision.But here arises the question of spending $1.05 billion dollars for the cause. As per 86th constitutional Amendment 2002, elementary education is a fundamental right of every child only in books.There is a saying "Action speaks louder than words" which is quiet opposite incase of Indian Government.There are so many NGO's and Charitable Trusts in India raising funds to help the poverty.The funds raised are not sufficient enough for the politicians to eat how will it be possible to improved education in India.India should have been a developed country by now by looking at the statistics with respect to the projects.A change in political system is required which can be possible by Youth as already mentioned by Abdul Kalam in Vision 2020.
Loans and investments alone will not elevate the quality of education in primary education. Primary education has to be looked at holistically, including teacher quality and motivation, its functioning and its day to day transactions,and the entire life situations surrounding the school and life of people in general, especially in rural India. Whether the DISE or Pratham reports do not give encouraging records. Stress needs to be given on human aspects of education. Moreover, strict vigilance is required so thatthe precious money do not go into the wrong hands.
The best way to ensure A-grade education in India is not to follow the industrial model, but to introduce a new curriculum which Mahatma Gandhi described as "Nai Talim" or New Education (1938) and which involves the teaching of food and agricultural production as a compulsory subject in all elementary and secondary schools. It is the surest way to eradicate poverty and to overcome rural-urban, caste-dalit and gender divide which politicians of every hue and stripe exploit as vote banks.
I have a village to recommend if there is some plans of Adoption of a village for education.
It is another step towards liberlisation and globalisation of education and to make it a commodity for business.
it is a good decision and it is necessary to improve the quality of Engineering education in our country. The Government should try to check whether the institutions work properly or not.
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