Educational Policy of Gujarat
The Gujarat Elementary Education Rules, 2010
Admission of pupils
No Elementary School shall normally admit a child who has not completed 6th year of age on the date of admission. However if a child is desirous to be admitted on completion of 5 years of age he shall be admitted, provided he has completed 5 years of age as on 1st June of that year.
Admission of children belonging to weaker section and disadvantaged group in unaided schools
The children from weaker sections and disadvantaged groups will be children of those families that belong to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled tribes and the other backward castes for which the recognition of such special status by the state government by means of a certificate of any competent authority will be sufficient. Children belonging to economically weaker sections will be those whose families are listed in the Below Poverty Line (BPL) lists at that particular time.
The onus of admitting children of the specified categories to the extent of at least twenty- five percent of the strength of a class (in class I or the pre-primary sections wherever existent) should be on the managements of the private unaided schools.
Norms and Standards for School
- There should be adequate space in every class room for students and teachers for conducting class room activities comfortably.
- Every new School should have adequate facilities for playground. For existing schools where it is not possible to have playground of the required area in the school premises, it should be within walking distance of the school. However Government may specify separate norms for urban/rural areas from time to time.
- The state shall endeavor to provide hot cooked meals through centralized facilities. The State shall encourage association of reputed NGOs for management of Mid-day Meal Programmee. However schools should provide adequate space for cooking, storage of commodities and serving where the centralized system is not made available.
- There should be adequate, satisfactory sanitary arrangements for boys and girls, and teachers.
- Provision should be made for safe and adequate drinking water facility.
- Each school should provide barrier-free access specially suited for Children with Special Needs.
Opening of new Elementary Schools or take over a private school
A district or municipal education committee with the previous sanction of the Director or an officer authorized by him in this behalf, shall, wherever necessary, open a new elementary school or take over a private school or incur additional expenditure on Elementary School maintained by it.
Girls Education Rathyatra
Gujarat state holds 15th place in the country for literacy rate, and 21st place for female literacy in 2001. Hence the state Government has introduced girl’s education Rathyatra with an intention of putting the state amongst the first few in the literacy rate and to improve the female literacy rate in villages having less than 35% female literacy rate to achieve 100% enrolment of girls in std. 1st.
The main aim of Girl’s RathYatra is that, all children eligible for enrolment, especially girls, where enrolled in Primary schools, and those children who had left the schools those re-enrolled. This scheme concentrated in 2002 at the places, which had less than 20% female literacy rate, and in 2005 less than 35% female literacy rate. This celebration of Rathyatra goes on three days to bring awareness in parents and girl students.
In the budget of the year 2005-06 the provision of vidyalaxmi Bonds worth Rs. 15 crores for 1,50,000 girls have been made. Out of the scheme amount bonds have been distributed during kanya Kelavani Yatra itself.
Vidyadeep Scheme
Gujarat state suffered a devastating earthquake on 26th January 2001. This took a very large toll of both children and teachers. The state government has implemented the Vidyadeep scheme in memory of the children who were victims of the devastating earthquake. The aim and object of the State Government in introducing the scheme is to satisfy its social duty towards the parents and guardians in their distress due to accidental death of their school going children. This scheme provides 24-hour insurance cover to each of the 85-lac students in all primary school. In case of accidental death of a student studying in primary school, the guardian is given Rs.25000. the entire premium for the Vidyadeep insurance scheme is being paid by the sate government. So far, the guardian of 943 children has already been paid an insurance amount of Rs. 302.50 lacs.
School Health Checkup Programme
Gujarat State has achieved the pride of place in being the first in the country to introduce the special School Health Check up Programme. Medical officers conduct health check ups on all school going children. All the children are made aware of his/her health though health education. Minor ailments of such children are treated in the school itself. Those children who require further treatment are referred to the nearest center where they are examined and treated by specialists. Spectacles are provided free of cost to all children who require them. The children, who suffer from heart, kidney problems and from cancer, are sent to Supper Specialty Hospitals.
Computer Education Scheme in Primary Education
With a view to provide computer education in primary schools in the state, the state Government has implemented a programme of donating one computer to those primary schools having 5 to 7 standards, which have electricity, appropriate furniture, and teachers of the school having computer training and one or more computers are donated to the schools by other donors. In the year 2004-05 about 1000 computers were provided to such schools against computers received from other donors. The government made a provision of about Rest 400 lacs for the year 2005-06 under computer donation scheme. In the month of December-2005, 377 computers have been received as donation.