It has been well acknowledged that the goal of plan efforts is human development of which human resource development is a necessary pre-requisite. Education is the catalytic factor which leads to human resource development. There is already enough evidence in India to show that high literacy rates, especially high female literacy rates, are associated with low rates of population growth, infant mortality besides a higher rate of life expectancy.

Primary education was given an overriding priority in order to realise the goal of universalisation of elementary education (VEE). Despite the priority, backlog has continued in enrolment and drop out rate has been high. Two major initiatives taken during Eighth Plan are District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) and the nutrition support to primary education (Mid-day Meals). States have shown that the present public sector outlay on elementary education is much lower and requires to be stepped up with a view to addressing the issues of equity, access, retention and quality at the primary stage. Lack of pucca school building has been a major determent in improving enrolment and the support under RIDF for the purpose is sure to improve the quality of primary education.

The Government of Himachal Pradesh has made Primary Education compulsory as a step towards universalization of Primary Education. With a view to provide access to all the eligible children in the age group of 6-11 years, infrastructure expansion programme has been taken up by the State Government in a big way. The State Government has opened large number of schools in the past but the number of school buildings with objective of achieving universal education in the State are short of requirements. The local community is expected to provide rent-free accommodation before starting of the school at the new centres but in most of the cases accommodation provided either is inadequate or a temporary arrangement. Ideally, there should be atleast five rooms in each Primary School to accommodate five classes but over the years a large number of schools have been opened by making temporary arrangements. In order to ensure congenial environment for students, additional infrastructure in the form of school buildings is urgently required.

The State Government submitted a project under RIDF – IV to NABARD for providing suitable accommodation in each Primary School in the state, being one of the perquisites for imparting quality education under hygienic and safe conditions, in a time bound manner and has named it Saraswati Bal Vidya Sankalp Yojana.

Objectives

To provide organized schoolrooms for providing full protection to children who were studying under open air exposed to vagaries of nature in various seasons.

Project Components

Schoolrooms and associated amenities for children

Major Features

Project belongs to social infrastructure and happens to be much needed educational infrastructure in eight districts of the state. Implementation with joint efforts of rural people and State Government. Active involvement of Panchayati Raj Institutions and local community in execution and supervision of the construction works. The construction of school building were undertaken by Village Education Committees (VECs).

Uniqueness

Children from nearby villages now have a school building. The happy shift from schooling under trees / open-air situation to organize schoolrooms paving the way for development of children and youth, the future generation of the land.