I. CONCERNS

Constitutional obligation of providing free and compulsory education for all children till they attain age of 14 years could not be achieved even after 50 years, despite substantial investment of effort and resources. Andhra Pradesh continues to remain one of the educationally backward states in the country, ranking a dismal 29^th among the states in the country, with a literacy rate of only 54%. (1997)

The extremely poor educational status of STs, SCs, certain categories of backward classes, minorities and girls continue to be an area of concern. The low level of literacy and disparities in literacy has a cascading adverse effect on various sectors and on the overall economy in the long run. The high drop out rate of about 50% in primary sections and lack of access to schools in almost 15000 habitations is alarming, with most of the out of school children being engaged in family work, care of younger siblings or even as bonded labourers. Unless and until all the children and the families concerned are motivated to ensure that children attend formal schools, Universalisation of Elementary Education will remain an illusory goal. Government of Andhra Pradesh appreciates its responsibility in providing Universal access to education and a proper teaching-learning environment. Government also believes that it is only with the active community participation with the stake-holders assuming a management role that Universalisation of Elementary Education can become a reallity.

Recognising the urgent need to involve the parents and local bodies,
Govt. of Andhra Pradesh has enunciated the Andhra Pradesh School Education (Community Participation) Act, 1998 providing for participatory management of schools by the primary stake holders – the parents of the students with the assistance of teachers concerned and local bodies. Accordingly, about 61328 School Committees have been constituted in 1998 and ever since there has been a significant improvement not only in the demand for schooling but also in the functioning of the schools. Vision 2020 of A.P, aiming to achieve education for all, has set for itself a target of achieving a minimum literacy rate of 95% before the year 2010 AD. Government of Andhra Pradesh, in response to the enthusiasm shown by the school committees and the goals set for itself, has initiated the following measures:

1. Provision of 25,000 class rooms, drinking water facility, and toilets aimed at improving school environment:
2. School committees have been provided with assistance during 1998-99 to engage about 52,754 Vidya Volunteers with an outlay of Rs.15.97 crores.
3. 57,341 teachers have been recruited during the past 3 years.
4. A massive training of teachers, Vidya Volunteers, and School Committee members have been taken up by during 1997 to 1999 to improve the teaching learning environment.

Government of Andhra Pradesh in this continuing crusade, has now decided to assist the local community in schoolless habitations to establish a "maa-badi" (Classes 1 & 2). All schoolless habitations with a minimum of 20 out of school children in the age 6 to 11, including non-starters will be provided assistance to establish such schools.

1. Promote universalisation of elementary education by offering assistance, to willing local communities in all the schoolless habitation in the State to provide access to formal schools.
2. Promote imparting of quality education;
3. Motivate and mobilize students, parents and community in favour of formal schooling and adult literacy, as partners to the Government in achieving over 95% literacy before the year 2010.

3. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

The schoolless habitations/Gram Panchayats concerned will be eligible for assistance under this scheme provided :-

1. they request for such assistance and undertake to work with Government as partners in achieving the objectives as enunciated above.
2. the schoolless habitation having minimum of 20 out of school children in the age group of 6-11 does not have formal primary school within a radius of 1 K.M. In tribal sub- plan areas the minimum strength of out of school children will be 10 in the age group of 6 – 11 years to become eligible for the assistance.
3. the schoolless habitation with 20 out of school children(6-11 yrs.) with a school within 1 K.M. will also be eligible, provided the habitation is separated from such school by a natural barrier eg., stream, hillocks, forest etc., rendering it difficult for such primary age group children to go to that school.

1. The Local Community of a school less habitation represented by its elders, must make a request through the Sarpanch of the Gram Panchayat concerned to the Mandal Educational Officer(MEO)
2. Local community / Gram Panchayat concerned must be prepared to prepare its habitation education plan while making a request . Necessary guidance will be provided by the Education Department. After identifying the areas of weaknesses in the plan to be developed, the community must set for itself a target to achieve universal enrolment, retention and promote adult literacy so as to ultimately achieve over 95% literacy rate before 2010.
3. The community must provide requisite infrastructure and other support to achieve their objectives and to promote quality education, like provision of suitable land of about thousand square meters apart from accommodation for conducting the school.
4. The community must be willing to engage suitable willing volunteers, duly following the guidelines for selection of Vidya Volunteers prescribed in G.O.Ms.No.17, Education (Prog.II), dated.8.1.1999.

2. Government commitment :

Government on its part will provide following assistance to local willing community:

1. Assistance to community to enable it to establish a "Maa Badi" subject to eligibility, within 60 days of receipt of request.
2. An amount of Rs.5,000/- per annum in habitation with minimum of 20 out of school children (6-11 years). In tribal areas the minimum strength of out of school children should be 10 in the age group of 6 – 11 years and the honorarium payable will be Rs. 4000/- per annum.
3. Assistance of Rs.500/- towards Honorarium tot he Vidya Volunteer for Teaching Learning Material
4. Assistance of Rs.2000/- towards TLM and operational contingencies
5. Orientation and guidance to local community for constituting a School Committee and for preparing a habitation education plan for itself.
6. Financial assistance and other support to School Committee to enable them to achieve their targets for enrolment, retention and adult literacy.
7. Training of Vidya Volunteers and other adult literacy volunteers that community may engage for achieving its targets as per habitation education plan.
8. Monitoring and evaluation to assist the community/Gram Panchayat to achieve the targets set out in its habitation Education Plan.

1. The local community of the schoolless habitation interested in availing the scheme will make a request in Annexure-I (b) through the Gram Panchayat to the Mandal Education Officer. The MEO shall issue a receipt of the request on the same date. The date of such receipt will be the date to be reckoned for taking action within 60 days. The local community elders may send the request directly to the MEO if the Gram Panchayat does not communicate either a rejection or forward their request within 5 days as per eligibility.
2. On receipt of the application, the MEO shall duly verify the same and have the habitation inspected by any of the MRPs and send his report to the DEO within 15 days from the date of receipt of the application in Annexure-I (b) retaining a copy at his office.
3. The DEO in turn shall verify the application so received and place before the District level committee constituted vide G.O.Ms.214, Education Dated : 10-7-98 on scrutiny and finalisation, the Chair-person of the district level committee shall accord acceptance / rejection of the request within 20 days directly to the Gram Panchayat under intimation to the MEO concerned. In case of rejection, the grounds for rejection shall also be communicated.
4. MEO on receipt of the request of the school committee and immediately after he forwards the request recommending such request, to the District level committee of eligible habitations, shall immediately arrange for deputing MRP to the habitation to assist the local community in preparing the habitation education plan, which will consist of a) the particulars of out of school children, the strategy and the time frame by which the community would send them to formal schools particularly the children between 6-9 yrs.; b) the particulars of the out of school children above 9-14 years, and the strategy for making them literate and for sending them back to formal school; c) the particulars of all others including adult illiterates, the strategy and time frame for making them literate d) the nature and quantum of the assistance the community is prepared to provide to open and run the proposed school to achieve the literacy targets set for itself in HEP. e) the nature and quantum of assistance required from the government for achieving the targets set for it self in the Habitation Education Plan; f) other measures community would initiate to promote quality education.over a period of time.
5. The Habitation Education Plan shall be finalised by the community under the guidance of MEO, within one month from the date on which the request is forwarded by MEO to the District Level Committee.
6. The MRP will also assist the Community to organize into a PTA which will then elect its School Committee as provided for in the A P School (Community participation) Education Act 1998.
7. MEO/MRPs will also assist them in opening an account for the School Committee.
8. The Account shall be operated jointly by School Committee Chairman and H.M. of nearby School.
9. As soon as the approval of District Level Committee is received and Habitation Education Plan is ready, the MEO shall enter into an agreement with School Committee incorporating its targets as mentioned in paras I to VII of the agreement [Annexure I (c) ].
10. A copy of the agreement and approval of the district level committee along with the cheque from APC in favour of Joint Account of school committee shall be sent to the School Committee under intimation to Gram Panchayat.
11. The guidelines prescribed for engaging the services of the Vidya Volunteers vide G.O.Ms.No.17, Education (Prog.II) Department, dated 8.1.1999 for primary school shall be followed by the School Committees.

1. The C&DSE shall give vide publicity to the scheme and shall issue a time frame to ensure that the assistance is sanctioned to the eligible community concerned.
2. Depending on the response and the number of requests that are received from each mandal, C&DSE shall formulate a training schedule for the Vidya Volunteers to be engaged by the School Committees.
3. The SPD, DPEP / C&DSE shall take further action to ensure timely release of assistance to the concerned School Committee account.

Approx. Financial Estimates