Union HRD Minister Prakash Javedkar, said in the Loksabha, among the noisy protests by the opposition over Demonetisation , that under the Sarva Siksha Abhyan (SSA), 2.04 lakh primary and 1.59 lakh high schools throughout the country have been ensured universal access to education. He also added that the main aim of SSA is Universal enrollment . He also added that a lot of efforts are taken to bring all children to school and especially girls.
SSA promotes girls’ education by opening schools in the neighbourhood, so that they can easily go to school, and also advocated appointing additional teachers, especially women teachers. Free textbooks and uniforms are given to them. Toilets for girls, promoting their participation in all activities, teachers’ sensitisation programs, gender sensitive teaching and learning materials are also propagated.
In educationally backward areas where rural female literacy rate is below the national average, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas are opened to provide residential High schools for underprivileged, Muslim and below poverty line family girls.
Central financial assistance is provided for the implementation of the Mid day meal scheme to all states and UTs. Under this scheme, children, especially adolescent girls, studying in class 1 to 8 of government and private schools, government aided schools, special training centers, Madrasas and Maqtabs are provided mid day meals.