WHY A FRAMEWORK FOR IMPLEMENTATION (AND NOT A GUIDELINE)?  

§         To allow states to formulate context specific guidelines within the overall framework

§         To encourage districts in States and UTs to reflect local specificity

§         To promote local need based planning based on broad National Policy norms

§         To make planning a realistic exercise by adopting broad national norms.

The objectives are expressed nationally though it is expected that various districts and States are likely to achieve universalisation in their own respective contexts and in their own time frame. 2010 is the outer limit for such achievements. The emphasis is on mainstreaming out-of-school children through diverse strategies, as far as possible, and on providing eight years of schooling for all children in 6-14 age group. The thrust is on bridging of gender and social gaps and a total retention of all children in schools.  Within this framework it is expected that the education system will be made relevant so that children and parents find the schooling system useful and absorbing, according to their natural and social environment.

  SARVA SHIKSHA ABHIYAN AS A FRAMEWORK AND AS A PROGRAMME :

   Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) has two aspects –

I)                     It provides a wide convergent framework for implementation of Elementary Education schemes;

 II)         It is also a programme with budget provision for strengthening vital areas to achieve universalisation of elementary education. While all investments in the elementary education sector from the State and the Central Plans will reflect as part of the SSA framework, they will all merge into the SSA programme within the next few years. As a programme, it reflects the additional resource provision for UEE.