Imphal, May 29: Despite the ambitious launch of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) scheme in Manipur implementation of the same is delayed as the proposed process rationalization of teachers is yet to take shape.

Inspite of the sole objective of SSA being ensuring education for all children between the age group of six to 14 years with one teacher for every 40 students non-implementation of teacher rationalization process curtails the teacher-student ratio to only 1/25 for the current juncture, as per information provided by department source.

In Manipur, a State Mission Authority with the Chief Minister as president was constituted to implement the SSA scheme.

Under the State Mission Authority an 'Executive Committee' with the Chief Secretary as chairman was also formed and in consultation with respective Zonal Education Officers several sub-committees have been subsequently formed.

Sub-committees like 'Ward Education Committee' for those area under Municipal Councils, 'Village Education Committee' for village level and 'Habitation Education Committee' for newly established villages and localities have been set into motion to reach out to needy children in all corner of the State.

The SSA scheme envisages constitution of this committee under the provision of 'Education Guarantee Scheme' (EGS) and 'alternative and Innovative Education' (AIE).

Activities under the EGS include providing education opportunity to children through construction of school buildings in places within a radius of one kilometre.

AIE, on the other hand, is to lure back children who had either dropped out of schools into classrooms or could not afford to pursue education due to various factors chief among which are economic constraints of the parents.

Till date number of school-less area within the stipulated range is 1649.To address the problems respective ZEOs are currently pondering over possibility of establishing new school buildings.

According to input provided by the ZEOs number of children out of school between the age group of 6-14 years have reached the figure of 1,46,436.To encourage these children return to the classroom processes of selecting 'Educational Volunteers' under the EGS and AIE would be undertaken, informed the department source adding a formal guideline from the State Mission Authority are awaited to carry out of the selection.

Similarly, a meeting of Executive Committee chaired by the Chief Secretary is likely to be convened on June 17 for a detailed discussion on the selection matter.

However, achieving the SSA scheme goals of compulsory education to the children (6-14), educate illiterate children and equip the teachers with necessary expertise for quality education very much depends on the number on the number of teacher for a particular section (class).

Such goals thereby necessitate rationalization of teacher to ensure adequate teaching staff strength without which possibility of reaping the fruit of the ambitious SSA schemes is very remote.

As large number of teachers are concentrated in the capital area and district headquarters children in far flung villages suffers the most as there is concrete proof of a number of schools without any teacher in sight.

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