Recruitment drive for SSA mooted
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 04 2011: With the process for recruitment of 536 Graduate teachers under Rashtriya Madhyamik Shikasha Abhiyan (RMSA) already underway, a fresh proposal has been laid before the State Government for recruitment of another 2704 teachers under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) for giving more teeth to the implementation of the scheme.

Disclosing this to The Sangai Express, a reliable source informed that since the launch of SSA, no teachers have been recruited solely for the purpose of implementing the scheme in the State.

The existing teachers in Government schools are being utilised for the implementation of the scheme.

So, a proposal has been submitted to the Government for recruiting 2704 teachers under SSA with Education Secretariat doing the needful.

The source further informed that there are so far 4000 schools in different districts of Manipur where the scheme has been implemented.

The number of students enrolled in these schools is around 3.40 lakh.

According to the laid down guidelines, the teacher-student ratio in these schools should be 1: 30 .

But the existing teacher-student ration in most schools, more particularly, those located the in the hill districts, is 1: 200.Such vast difference in the teacher-student ratio has been creating a lot of difficulties in ensuring successful implementation of the scheme that aims to achieve the goal of universalisation of elementary education.

There is thus an urgent need to recruit teachers meant for implementation of SSA solely, the source pointed out.

On the other hand, implementation of SSA in schools under the administration of the six newly reconstituted Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) in the State started around a month back.

For the implementation of the scheme, the respective school management committees are to be headed by an ADC member as chairman with the headmaster concerned as the convenor.

However, as there are around 20 ADC members in some districts, a problem has been created in deciding who should be the chairman and who should be the authorised signatory on the bank account for transaction of fund.

The bank account for such transaction is to be signed by only one ADC member with Executive Director of the DRDA concerned as the joint signatory, the source disclosed.

According to the source, under SSA, school uniforms are being provided to all the students in class I to VIII.

The school uniforms are provided directly through the respective school management committee following an instruction in this regard from the Ministry of Human Resource Development.

In the previous financial year, a sum of Rs 2.11 crores had been provided as maintenance grant to 2815 school units and a sum of Rs 1.88 crores as school grant to 3490 school units.

For the current financial year, 2010-2011, a sum of Rs 215.18 lakhs as maintenance grant for 2869 school units and Rs 189.39 lakhs as school grant for 3515 school units have been sanctioned.

The school bags provided to the students under SSA have been supplied by M/s Sujata Sarkar, a firm based in West Bengal, and with exception to Senapati district, the required school bags have been provided through the respective District Project Officers.

For the year, 2009 and 2010, the school bags were to be provided to 5000 students and there has been no further arrangement for supply of school bags.

For ensuring the provision of school bags, the amount earmarked is just Rs 15 lakhs, the source explained.

As a component under civil works, so far 400 schools in the hill districts have been upgraded under SSA and the fund earmarked for the purpose is Rs 4.38 lakhs for each upgraded schools.

Moreover, the task for printing the prescribed text books under SSA is being taken up by the Board of Secondary Education, Manipur, and for the session 2010-2011, the office of the State Mission Authority, SSA has so far received 8.50 lakh text books and same the provided through the ZEOs concerned of the districts for distribution among the students.

For the remaining 3 lakh text books, only the Board Secretary may have idea when the printing would be over and provided them to the SSA office, the source said, while pointing out that the under standing with the Board was to supply the entire bulk of the printed text books to the SSA office by June 15 last.

The Board may have requested extension of the deadline by June 30 due to certain difficulties.

But even after July month has already started, there has been no communication over the delay in supplying the remaining text books, the source lamented.

On its part, the SSA office had requested the Board to hand over the task if it could not complete, so that an open tender could be conducted to invite willing firms.

In other States like those in the South, the concerned State Mission Authorities do the printed works themselves.

Such an arrangement may be to the benefit of all, the source pointed out.

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