About RMSA

Rashatriya Madhayamic Shikasha Abhiyan (RMSA)

Secondary education is a crucial stage in the educational hierarchy as it prepares the students for higher education and also for the world of work. Class IX and X constitute the secondary stage whereas classes XI and XII are termed as higher secondary stage. The normal age group of the children at secondary stage is 14-15 where as it is 16-17 for higher secondary classes.

The vision for secondary education is to make good quality education available, accessible and affordable to all young persons in the age group of 14-17 years. With this vision in mind, the following is to be achieved:-

  • To provide a secondary school within a reasonable distance of any habitation, this should be 5 kilometers for secondary schools and 7-10 kilometers for higher secondary schools.
  • Ensure universal access of secondary education by 2017 (GER of 100%).
  • Universal retention by 2020.
  • Providing access to secondary education with special reference to economically weaker sections of the society, the educationally backward, the girls and the disabled children residing in rural areas and other marginalized categories like SC, ST, OBC and educationally backward minorities.

Goals & Objectives of RMSA:-

As part of the central government’s commitment to make secondary education of good quality available, accessible and affordable to all young persons, The Govt. of India in partnership with The State Govt. has launched a centrally sponsored scheme RMSA during 11th plan to enhance access to and improve quality of education at secondary stage.

The guiding principles to meet the challenges of universalization of secondary education (USE) are:-

  • Universal access
  • Equality and social justice
  • Relevance and development of curricular and structural aspects

If these values are to be established in the system, all types of schools including unaided private schools have to contribute towards USE by ensuring adequate enrolments for the children from under privileged and marginalized section of society.

The above goals translate to following objective:-

  • To ensure that all secondary schools have physical facilities, staffs and supplies at least according to the prescribed norms and standard through financial support in case of Govt, Local Body and Govt. Aided Schools and proper regulatory mechanism in case of other schools.
  • To improve access to all young children according to norms through proximate location.
  • To ensure that no child is deprived of secondary education of satisfactory quality due to gender, socio economies, disability and other barriers.
  • To improve quality of secondary education resulting in enhanced intellectual, social and cultural learning.
  • Achievement of the above objectives would also, inter alia signify substantial progress in the direction of the common school system.

Strategies to Achieve Objectives:

Three pronged strategies have been adopted to improve access, equity and quality to achieve objectives of RMSA through enhancement of access to secondary and improvement of quality while ensuring equity.

Access:

In order to achieve the goal of universal access to quality secondary education will be improved by:

  • Making provision of secondary schools within a reasonable distance of 5 K.M for secondary school and 7-10 K.M for senior secondary school in the habitation based on micro planning keeping in view the geographical socio cultural linguistic and demographic condition of the state.
  • Up-gradation of secondary schools to senior secondary stage based on the requirements.
  • Strengthening of existing secondary schools through construction of additional classrooms, Laboratories, Libraries, Computer Room, Art and Craft rooms, separate toilets for boys and girls, drinking water provisions, electricity, telephone and internet making exiting schools disabled friendly and residential hostels for teachers in remote and difficult hill terrain.

Quality:-

Quality being the special focus in Himachal Pradesh this objective will be achieved through important quality interventions as:

  • Appointment of additional teachers to reduce PTR to 30:1 in school as per requirement.
  • Special focus on Science, Maths and English education.
  • Leadership training of school Heads.
  • Training of In-service teachers.
  • Imparting Remedial Teaching to low achiever students.
  • Through improvements in infrastructure like science labs, Computer labs, libraries, furniture and black boards.
  • ICT enabled education
  • Curricular, examination and teaching learning reforms.
  • Bridge courses and special remedial classes for enhancing learning ability of students passing out class VIII.
  • Imparting Vocational Education
  • Swayamsidham Portal

Equity Issues:

Equality issues under the scheme are proposed to be addressed through intervention as:

  • Focus will be on girl students during micro planning by making separate toilet blocks for girls, appointment of more female teachers, check drop out among girls and addressing problems of adolescent girls.
  • Preference to areas with concentration of SC/ST/Minority for opening of new schools.
  • Preference to Ashram schools for up-gradation.
  • Free incentives such as text books uniforms, scholarships, hostel/residential schools for students belonging to SC/ST/OBC and other underprivileged group of the society.
  • Inclusive education for differently abled children in all schools.
  • Special enrollment drive in SC/ST and Minority concentration areas.
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