With education reforms on the top of the UPA government agenda, the report card of first year’s performance of UPA-2 released by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday gave positive review of the HRD ministry.
The UPA government’s agenda of inclusive growth and expansion by opening up of nearly 20,000 elementary schools across the country has been highlighted in the report.
According to a report card, 19,247 primary and upper primary schools have been opened in 2009-10 till December end.
These facilities include 7,400 primary schools and 11,847 upper primary schools.
And to provide professional teaching facilities to students in these schools, over 35,000 teachers have been appointed during the period. The report stated that 26.62 lakh teachers have been provided in-service training and 9.54 crore children provided with textbooks. The report also acknowledged Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan as an important tool for improving access to secondary education.
The initiatives can be termed significant in view of the enactment of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act which came into effect from April 1 this year. In the higher education sector, the report showcased initiatives like setting up of 16 central universities, six IIMs, two IITs and ten NITs. It also highlighted the proposal for providing full interest subsidy to poor students on education loans to pursue professional and technical courses.