"Education for students: Illuminating pathways, nurturing dreams, and empowering communities for a brighter tomorrow."
Empowering Minds - Enriching Lives.
Prime Minister's award for Excellence in Public Administration was awarded for Rajarshi Shahu Sarvangin Shikshan Karyakram which was targeted for 'Quality improvement in primary education and holistic development of child '.This novel initiative conceptualised and effectively implemented by me as CEO ZP Kolhapur .This was done to develop a strong foundation and foster a whole new line of literate generation.
The program aims at holistic development of a child i.e. intellectual, physical, emotional and social development. Educationalist, teachers, community leaders and teachers union leaders were involved in planning, preparation and implementation of the program. The program was presented and approved in the gram sabha general body of ZP and panchayat samiti .The program involves 1732 ZP government primary schools and 2,71,000 students. Various strategies were adapted to ensure quality of education and holistic development of a child .People's active involvement has been the major hallmark of the program .Villagers have contributed on a large scale with their donation amounting to Rs 6 Cr in three years for improving the infrastructure in schools.
Mother parents associations were actively involved for individual counseling, to monitor nutritional intake & to resolve educational problem on regular basis. Special trainings for teachers were arranged to motivate and improve their capabilities. Drop out rate was reduced from 7 to 8 percent to 1.5% with 100 percent enrollment in schools and academic performance was improved substantially. The percentage of students scoring more than 50 per cent marks increased from 52 percent in year 2002- 3 to 90 per cent in the year 2004-5.
Number of successful students in government scholarship exam increased and the number of students in the state merit list also mounted to 70 % from ZP Kolhapur schools. These schools were awarded which help in morale boosting of students as well as teachers and enhancing a sense of pride in villagers. Clean, hygienic atmosphere in the schools has become a priority. The practice of Social Audit emerged as a potent tool of making teachers conscious of their duties and responsibilities.
The program is now replicated in all the districts in Maharashtra from June 2007. Indian Institute of Education (IE), Pune and National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT), New Delhi, have externally evaluated the program and observed that," This scheme as really a ray of hope which showed that things can be changed and quality of education can be improved .It has shown that coordination, motivation at all levels can really transform the situation. Kolhapur Zilla Parishad has taken a first step and has set an example which could prove as a milestone in the field of primary education. This programme with coordination and motivation at all level could prove as a milestone in field of Primary Education."
This programme could lead to the fulfillment of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj's dream of reaching the quality education to all sections of the society.
This programme was replicated in Pune Division from 2011-14 effectively which has resulted in reducing dropout rate to 1.3% and no. of A, B, C grade schools were 99%.
The people's contributions in the schools was to the tune of Rs. 49.84 Cr in 3 years.
All the officers from rank of the Divisional Commissioner to Extension Officer were asked to visit the schools and spend one day in school. On every third thursday of the month, each officer used to visit the school, teach a lesson in the class & provide the help for improving the infrastructure in the school.
The program was implemented when I was posted as Divisional Commissioner, Pune and Konkan. In konkan Division, 10551 schools were visited by 3762 officers and 615 non officials three times in a year.