The India Post, Chandigarh, 22th May, 2009 :To augment the quality of education at Secondary stage in the UT Chandigarh, the Chandigarh Administration is going to launch Rashtirya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) – a Government of India (GoI) scheme. The Governor of Punjab and Administrator UT, Chandigarh, General (Retd.) S. F. Rodrigues has given nod for the aforesaid scheme. He said that this is an important scheme of GoI for the improvement of Secondary Education. The vision of the scheme is to provide affordable and accessible quality education to all youngsters in the age group of 14 to 18 years with special focus on the economically and educationally backward sections of the society and to girls.
The Administrator has also ordered for setting up of Chandigarh Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Society (RMSS), an autonomous and independent body, to universalize access to and improve quality of education at Secondary Stage in UT Chandigarh in accordance with the guidelines of RMSA. The Governing Council of RMSS consists of the Administrator, UT, Chandigarh as its President and Adviser to the UT Administrator as its Vice President. Home-cum-Education Secretary, Finance Secretary, Deputy Commissioner, Special Secretary Finance, Legal Remembrancer, DPI (C), Director Social Welfare, Director State Institute of Education, District Education Officer, Assistant Director Vocational Education, Block Development & Panchayat Officer, Four Persons from Non Governmental agencies engaged in Educational Activities, two heads of High Schools, representatives of the Central Government i.e. Ministry of Human Resource Development, NCERT, New Delhi, NUEPA, New Delhi, Representative of Teachers Union, Chairman, CBSE or his nominee and Finance & Planning Officer would be its members. DPI (S) will be the project director and Deputy District Education Officer would be the project coordinator.
The major objective of the scheme is to ensure that all secondary schools have physical facilities, staffs and supplies at least according to the prescribed standards through financial support in case of Government/ Local Body and Government aided schools, and appropriate regulatory mechanism in case of other schools. The Abhiyan will make sure that no child is deprived of secondary education of satisfactory quality due to gender, socio-economic, disability and other barriers. The achievement of the above objectives would also inter-alia signify substantial progress in the direction of the Common School System, said Education Secretary Mr. Ram Niwas.
The Chandigarh Administration will bear 25% of the cost and GoI would bear 75% of the cost under the aforesaid scheme. An Executive Committee will also be constituted headed by Home-cum-Education Secretary for the smooth implementation of the scheme.