SRINAGAR: Nearly, 435 SHRI Schools ( Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India) in Jammu and Kashmir will showcase all components of the National Education Policy 2020 besides offering mentorship to other schools in their vicinity.
“These schools will act as exemplar schools with upgraded infrastructure, innovative pedagogy and technology”.
Pertinently, PM SHRI Schools is a new scheme envisaging development of more than 14500 schools across the country by strengthening selected existing schools being managed by Union, State and UT Governments besides local bodies. These schools will provide leadership to other schools in their respective regions by providing mentorship.
The PM SHRI schools will deliver quality teaching for cognitive development of students and will strive to create and nurture holistic and well-rounded individuals equipped with key 21st century skills.
This ambitious scheme of PM SHRI schools is to be implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with a total project cost of Rs. 27360 crore which included a central share of Rs. 18128 crore for the period of five years from year 2022-23 to 2026-27.
The PM SHRI Schools will be developed as green schools incorporating environment friendly aspects like solar panels and LED lights, nutrition gardens with natural farming, waste management, plastic free, water conservation and harvesting, study of traditions/practices related to protection of environment, climate change related hackathon and awareness generation to adopt sustainable lifestyle.
Also, pedagogy to be adopted in these schools will be more experiential, holistic, integrated, play/toy-based (particularly, in the foundational years) inquiry-driven, discovery-oriented, learner-centred, discussion-based, flexible and enjoyable. Focus will be on learning outcomes of every child in every grade. Assessment at all levels will be based on conceptual understanding and application of knowledge to real life situations and will be competency-based.
Assessment of available resources and their effectiveness in terms of availability, adequacy, appropriateness, and utilization for each of the domains and their key performance indicators will be done and gaps will be filled in a systematic and planned manner. besides, linkage with Sector Skill Councils and local industry for enhancing employability and providing better employment opportunities will be explored through the scheme.
A School Quality Assessment Framework (SQAF) has been developed specifying the key performance indicators to measure outcomes. Quality evaluation of these schools at regular interval will be undertaken to ensure the desired standards.
The major interventions of the scheme are Quality and Innovation (Learning Enhancement Programme, Holistic Progress Card, Innovative Pedagogies, Bagless days, Internships with Local artisans, Capacity building etc.) besides Beneficiary oriented entitlements under RTE Act. besides, 100 per cent of PM SHRI Schools will receive Science and Math Kits.
The scheme will also encourage flexibility in choice of subjects being offered to students and will encourage mother tongue/local languages as medium of instruction using technological interventions to help bridge language barriers. Likewise, 100 per cent of PM SHRI Schools will be covered under ICT, smart classrooms and digital initiatives.
Regarding strengthening of existing infrastructure, the scheme will help vocational interventions and enhance internship/entrepreneurship opportunities especially with local industry besides mapping of skills with developmental projects/nearby industry and develop courses/curriculum accordingly.
Also, selection of PM SHRI schools is being done through Challenge Mode where in Schools compete for support to become exemplar schools. Schools would be required to self-apply on the online portal which will be opened four times a year, once every quarter, for first two years of the scheme.