Row over PM-SHRI schools scheme, which Kerala has agreed to implement, Pg14.

Key Highlights:

• The Kerala government has agreed to implement the PM-SHRI schools scheme, reversing its earlier refusal.
• The decision has faced opposition from within the ruling LDF alliance, particularly from the CPI.
• The PM-SHRI scheme, launched in 2022, aims to develop 14,500 schools as "exemplars" of the NEP 2020.
• The scheme is funded by the Centre and states in a 60:40 ratio.
• Tamil Nadu and West Bengal are the only states currently not implementing the scheme.
• Kerala Education Minister V Sivankutty stated the state could lose Rs 1,500 crore if it did not implement the scheme.

Detailed Insights:

• The PM-SHRI scheme intends to showcase aspects of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 by upgrading existing schools run by central, state, and local governments.
• The Union Education Ministry has set guidelines for innovative teaching methods, art-based learning, and vocational education in PM-SHRI schools.
• The curriculum for PM-SHRI schools will follow either the National Curriculum Framework or the State Curriculum Framework, based on the NEP.
• The release of funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme is linked to the implementation of PM-SHRI, impacting states that have refused to implement the scheme.
• Kerala has not received funds from the Centre for Samagra Shiksha in 2024-25 and 2025-26 so far, and received only part of its allocation for 2023-24, amounting to around Rs 1,150 crore.
• The Right to Education Act, uniforms and textbooks for students, support for differently abled children, and reimbursement for private schools under the EWS category are supported by the Samagra Shiksha scheme.

Key Concepts Involved:

• PM-SHRI Scheme: A central government initiative to develop schools as "exemplars" of the NEP 2020.
• NEP 2020: The National Education Policy 2020, a comprehensive framework for education reform in India.
• Samagra Shiksha: A scheme supporting the implementation of the Right to Education Act and other educational initiatives.