CCEA approves extension of SSA up to 2025-26, Centre to spend Rs 1.85 lakh crore

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs Wednesday approved a financial outlay of Rs 1.85 lakh crore to continue the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) till the 2025-26 financial year.

Besides this, the Union government also expects states to collectively pitch in Rs 1 lakh crore to implement the scheme during this time.

SSA is an integrated scheme covering Classes 1 to 12. It aims to deliver inclusive, equitable, and affordable school education.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that the scheme, approved on Wednesday, has been upgraded to align it with the Sustainable Development Goal for Education and the new National Education Policy launched last year.

Among the major NEP recommendations included in SSA is the National Mission of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, financial support for out-of-school children in the 16 to 19 age group, employment of language teachers, and enhanced stipend for girls students with special needs.

Under the National Mission of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, launched this month, an expenditure of Rs 500 per child per annum has been approved to provide teaching-learning material. Besides this, the Union government will spend up to Rs 500 per day per teacher on training them to improve foundational literacy.

To boost sports, there is an additional grant of upto Rs 25,000 to schools in case at least two students of that school win a medal in the Khelo India school games at the national level. At the school level, there will be provisions for ‘bagless days’, school complexes, internships with local artisans among other measures.

Over the next five years, the Union government hopes to reduce the annual dropout rate in elementary education from 4.5% to 3.5% by 2025-26.

With PTI inputs