Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) is a new centrally sponsored scheme for universalisation of access to and improvement of quality at secondary stage (class IX-XII).
The objective of the scheme is to achieve a General Enrolment Ratio (GER) of 75% for classes IX-X within 5 years by providing a secondary school within a reasonable distance of every habitation, to improve quality of education imparted at secondary level through making all secondary schools conform to prescribed norms, to remove gender, socio-economic and disability barriers, universal access to secondary level education by 2017, i.e., by the end of 12th Five Year Plan and universal retention by 2020.
The cost of the scheme is to be mobilized between the Centre and the State on the basis of 90:10 sharing pattern between the Centre and the State.
Broad national physical targets include improving enrolment ratio for classes IX-X to 75% within five years from 52.26% as in 2005-06, providing facilities for estimated additional enrolment of 32.20 lakh by 2011-12 through strengthening of about 44,000 existing secondary schools, opening/strengthening 11,188 new secondary schools, appointment of 1.79 lakh additional teachers and construction of 88,500 lakh additional classrooms.
Fund allocation: Rs 20,120 crore (total for all states) has been allocated for this scheme under 11th Five Year Plan.
Status of RMSA in the state: Secondary Education Management Information System (SEMIS) has been completed and based on the data generated by it, an Annual Work Plan and Budget for activities to be taken up under RMSA in Manipur has been prepared.
Steps being taken and to be taken by the state government:
1. Constitution of State level Mission on RMSA headed by Chief Minister, Executive Committee headed by Secretary in-charge of Secondary education and Technical Support Group.
2. Necessary administrative arrangement to implement the project including appointment of a separate State Mission Director as Nodal Officer.
3. Undertaking micro-planning exercise including base line assessment in districts, and identification of upper primary schools to be upgraded and secondary schools to be strengthened.
4. Strengthening of the offices of District Education Officer and Block level Education Offices and administrative arrangement of the implementation of the project at district and block level.
5. Constitution of School Management and Development Committee and opening of bank accounts of the Committee.
6. Preparation of Perspective Plan and Annual Plan.
7. A time-bound action plan for recruitment of additional teachers with emphasis on teachers for Science, English and Mathematics.
8. Preparation of a time bound plan for in-service training of all teachers.