Report of the Sub-Group on Elementary Education for Working Group on Elementary Education and Adult Education Tenth Five Year Plan 2002-2007

Abstract

Section I discusses the importance of basic education in the development of human capital and consequently in reducing poverty and income inequality thereby improving the quality of life. Section II deals with the past performance and present status of elementary education in terms of access, enrolment, retention, dropout, teachers and infrastructure facilities at primary and upper primary levels since the beginning of the plan period (i.e. 1950-51) and their implications for future plans. Section III provides an over view of the targets, intervention strategies and the achievements in the field of elementary education during IX Five Year Plan. It also briefly reviews the Centrally Sponsored Schemes, which were implemented in the IX Five Year Plan period. Section IV deals with the target setting exercise relating to enrolment, retention, schooling facilities, teacher requirement and the physical infrastructure to be provided at primary and upper primary level during the X Five Year Plan. Section V discusses the broad strategies to be adopted to achieve the targets set (for access, enrolment, retention achievement and quality) at elementary level at the end of the X Five Year Plan. Section VI gives a rough estimate of the financial requirements that education to achieve the targets set at the elementary level of education during the X Five Year Plan.