Playschools in government schools with trained teachers, focus on child safety and vocational and skill-based training from Class 6-12 are some of the key features that the Centre has laid emphasis on keeping in mind the post-Covid education scenario as it approved the continuation of the Samagra Shiksha Scheme (SSS) for school education till March 31, 2026.
The SSS is an integrated scheme for school education. It treats school education as a continuum and is in line with the Sustainable Development Goal for Education.
The revamped scheme favours formalisation of playschools and anganwadi in the school education system. The Government schools too will have playschools and the teachers will be trained accordingly, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said after the Cabinet nodded the SSS.
As per the scheme, emphasis will be placed on vocational learning. Classes 6-8 will receive its exposure while focus on skills will be placed for students of classes 9-12. Further discussions are being held to formalise coding, augmented and virtual reality, etc. along with more modern skills in schools.
For the first time, the Centre has also added child safety within the SSS, Pradhan said, adding States will be given aid to make a commission for protection of child rights.