The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is India's largest ever educational program launched in 2000 with the goal of universalizing elementary education. It aims to provide free and compulsory education to children aged 6-14 as a fundamental right. Key objectives include increasing access to education, enrollment, retention, and quality of education while reducing dropouts. It focuses on bridging gender and social gaps. SSA provides a framework to implement elementary education schemes through opening new schools, strengthening infrastructure, and implementing the Right to Education Act. It takes a holistic view of education and focuses on equity, access, gender concerns, the centrality of teachers, and creating an inclusive environment for disadvantaged groups.

1. By
Sarika Shah

2.  3 W’s of SSA
◦ What: Largest ever educational
programme launched by GOI
◦ When: November 2000
◦ Why: To achieve the goal of
universalisation of elementary
education (UEE) in a time bound
manner.

3.  School chale hum

4.  To provide free and compulsory Education to the Children
of 6-14 years age group as a Fundamental Right.
 To universalise elementary education by community-
ownership of the school system
 An attempt to provide an opportunity for improving
human capabilities to all children, through provision of
community-owned quality education.
 To bridge the gaps of gender and social category found
in elementary education and improving the quality of
learning.

5.  Focus Areas of SSA
◦ Increased Access
◦ Increased Enrolment
◦ Increased Retention
◦ Reduce School dropouts
Provide quality education to all children

6.  A programme with a clear time frame for universal elementary
education.
 A response to the demand for quality basic education all over
the country.
 An opportunity for promoting social justice through basic
education.
 An effort at effectively involving the Panchayati Raj Institutions,
School Management Committees, Village and Urban Slum level
Education Committees, Parents' Teachers' Associations, Mother
Teacher Associations, Tribal Autonomous Councils and other
grass root level structures in the management of elementary
schools.
 An expression of political will for universal elementary
education across the country.
 A partnership between the Central, State and the local
government.
 An opportunity for States to develop their own vision of
elementary education

7.  Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) has two aspects –
◦ I) It provides a wide convergent framework for
implementation of Elementary Education schemes;
◦ II)The programme seeks to open new schools in
those habitations which do not have schooling
facilities and strengthen existing school
infrastructure through provision of additional class
rooms, toilets, drinking water, maintenance grant
and school improvement grants.

8. Implementation of RTE Act
in 2010 resulted in
revamping of SSA

9.  Holistic view of education: curriculum,
teacher education, educational planning and
management as interpreted in the National
Curriculum Framework 2005.

10.  Equity: To mean not only equal opportunity,
but also creation of conditions in which the
disadvantaged sections of the society –
children of SC, ST, Muslim minority, landless
agricultural workers and children with special
needs, etc. – can avail of the opportunity.

11.  Access: Not to be confined to ensuring that a
school becomes accessible to all children
within specified distance but implies an
understanding of the educational needs and
predicament of the traditionally excluded
categories – the SC, ST and others sections of
the most disadvantaged groups, the Muslim
minority, girls in general, and children with
special needs.

12.  Gender concern: Not only enabling girls to
keep pace with boys but also to bring about a
basic change in the status of women.

13.  Centrality of teacher:To motivate them to
innovate and create a culture in the
classroom, and beyond the classroom, that
might produce an inclusive environment for
children, especially for girls from oppressed
and marginalised backgrounds.

14.  Moral compulsion : is imposed through the
RTE Act on parents, teachers, educational
administrators and other stakeholders, rather
than shifting emphasis on
punitive(penalizing) processes.

15.  SSA for Universalization of Elementary
Education

17.  Visit the state government websites of any 2
states and make a note of progress seen in
their respective states after SSA was
implemented.
 E.g : Increase in budget reported or New
schools opened under SSA in their state etc..
 Format:
◦ Name of State:
◦ Progress Noted(any one)`:

18.  www.mhrd.gov.in/sarva-shiksha-abhiyan
 www.ssa.nic.in
 https://mpsp.maharashtra.gov.in/SITE/Information/SSA.aspx?ID=11