UP Govt giving massive push to ‘Mission Prerna’

PRAYAGRAJ, Feb 20 (HS): The Yogi Adityanath government is pushing massive educational reform programmes. The thrust for educational reforms is evident with improvement of education facilities for all children in schools run by UP government. IAS officer Vijay Kiran Anand, director general of school education in Uttar Pradesh, has a lot on his plate. Mission Prerna, an aggressive education reform project that he is helming, encompasses 1,59,000 schools, 5,75,000 teachers and 18 million students in the state. Anand a candid discussion with HS said, “In order to conduct educational activities during the coronavirus period, UP government has conducted the ‘e-Pathshaalas’ under ‘Mission Prerna’ initiative. Under the ‘Mission Prerna’ initiative, education has been imparted to children through digital and other means of communication and is still continuing. ‘Mission Prerna’ also includes telecast of educational programmes on Doordarshan, WhatsApp classes and Mission Prerna YouTube channel. WhatsApp virtual classes are being conducted in which 29.06 lakh groups of teachers as well as boys and girls have been formed, of which 67.73 lakh students have benefited so far.”

“Launched in September 2019, Mission Prerna is a huge and ambitious project, and it is already beginning to bear fruit. Nearly 1.85 crore children have been enrolled for the academic session 2020-21 under the ‘School Chalo Abhiyan’. The government is also providing free books, stationary, school bags, shoes and socks, and sweaters to the students of primary classes, so that they would not be deprived of their right to primary education due to financial hardships. To fulfill its ‘Quality Education’ resolution, the Yogi government has appointed over 1.20 lakh assistant teachers. Nearly 5,000 smart classes have been made in the state to provide technology-based learning facilities to the students of the primary schools, and these classes are being equipped with modern facilities under the transformation of primary schools programme,” said BSA, Prayagraj, Sanjay Kumar Kushwaha while speaking to HS.

“Operation Kayakalp, which aims at improving infrastructure of schools in the state have brought a sea change. In most schools, washrooms have multiple handwash dispensers. Schools have been made appealing with vibrant paintings. Teaching-learning material has been made available,” said Basic Shiksha Adhikari, Prayagraj, Sanjay Kushwaha. In Prayagraj district, the plan is being implemented in around 85% of the 3,479 of primary and upper primary government schools. “State project directorate of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyaan was provided with details of the work being undertaken in schools of which report has been sent so far,” he added.

To improve the basic education situation, the state government is running around 2.65 lakh schools. Moreover, 88,290 boys and girls are being imparted Sanskrit education through 1,151 Sanskrit secondary schools to promote the Sanskrit language in the state.