Universalisation of Secondary Education in Punjab

Updated on: Thursday, August 23, 2012

The state government of Punjab has upgraded over 200 middle schools to secondary schools in deficit areas,with a view to achieve Universalisation of Secondary Education (USE).

Education Minister Sikandar Singh Maluka said the Education department has upgraded 222 middle schools to secondary schools under RMSA with a vision to make quality education accessible and affordable to all students  in the age group of 14-18 years.

This is part of the implementation of Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan Scheme (RSMA), which is aimed at improving the standard of education being provided in classes VIII to X by ensuring a secondary school within a radius of 5 km for every neighbourhood.

"This project is for the bright future and careers of the children, visualising attainment of 75 per cent Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) by 2012-13 and 100 per cent GER by 2016-17 ensuring universal access of secondary education by 2017 and universal retention by 2020," Maluka added. Punjab is one of the four states approved by the Central government to implement RMSA in 2012-2013, he said.

"For this the state government will spend Rs 369 crore to provide inputs in terms of additional classrooms, teachers and other facilities in these upgraded schools to meet the challenges," he added.

It was the government's responsibility to provide education to the educationally backward, economically weaker and marginalised sections, he said while allaying any apprehension regarding the privatisation of RMSA schools.

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