In order to make Uttar Pradesh number one state in the country in the field of education, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed officials to work towards claiming top rankings in the School Education Quality Index (SEQI) and Performance Grading Index (PGI) released by NITI Aayog.
There are more than 1.41 lakh council and secondary schools in Uttar Pradesh where over 2.37 crore students are studying. The Yogi government’s allocation for education in the current year stands at Rs 83,000 crore, with an annual expenditure of Rs 35,000 per student.
After coming to power in 2017, the Yogi government has brought about significant changes in the education system of the state. Under the Kayakalp Abhiyan, the work of improving the condition of dilapidated schools has been done robustly. In the month of August, the Yogi government launched the second phase of Operation Kayakalp. Over 1.36 lakh council schools have been restored with the availability of basic facilities.
The state government’s most significant accomplishment is the transparent recruitment of 1.64 lakh teachers. This achievement not only involves the digitisation of teacher-related processes through the Manav Sampada portal but also includes the direct transfer of funds to the accounts of over 1.91 crore parents for educational materials related to their children. Apart from this, the government has also developed real-time monitoring and grievance redressal mechanisms in the form of Vidya Samiksha Kendra.
The other aim of the Yogi government is to declare UP as a proficient state by connecting 5,760 schools of the state with world class facilities by 2026.
Until six years ago, conducting cheating-free examinations in the state was a dream. Today, not only the 10th and 12th UP Board exams have become completely free from cheating, but over three lakh cameras have been installed in the schools to ensure cheating-free examinations.
Additionally, the government has implemented the Sharda programme for out-of-school children and the Samarth programme for children with disabilities. Furthermore, Kasturba Gandhi Girls’ Schools have been extended up to the 12th grade. Simultaneously, the establishment of Atal residential schools in 18 districts across the state is a major achievement of the Yogi government in the field of education.
The Yogi government will spend Rs 7.8 lakh to develop the necessary infrastructure in the school as soon as possible. The chief minister has already given instructions to officials to provide these funds to schools through various financial sources and inter-departmental convergence.
An amount of Rs 11,000 crore is to be spent by the state government for the renovation of schools. Out of this, Rs 5,500 crore will be received from the State/Central Finance Commission, Rs 3,900 crore from state fund, Rs 450 crore from Jal Jeevan Mission, Rs 415 crore from municipal corporations, Rs 250 crore from corporate social responsibility (CSR) Fund and Rs 20 crore from District Mineral Fund.