SARTHAQ

The full form of SARTHAQ is the ‘Students’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement through Quality Education (SARTHAQ)’. It is an implementation plan for the National Education Policy of 2020.

The Department of School Education and Literacy has developed an indicative and suggestive NEP Implementation Plan for School Education, ‘Students’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement through Quality Education (SARTHAQ), to help States and Union territories achieve the goals and objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Latest Context:

A high-level meeting on implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 was convened by Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal. The ‘Students’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement through Quality Education (SARTHAQ)’ implementation plan for school education was also released.

This article will discuss SARTHAQ in the context of the IAS Exam.

Aspirants should read about New Education Policy along with other education-related topics to holistically cover this article. Such similar articles are linked below:

Steps involved in creating SARTHAQ

SARTHAQ was developed through a comprehensive and in-depth consultation process involving states and UTs, autonomous entities, and recommendations from all stakeholders, with around, 7177 suggestions/inputs received. From the 8th to the 25th of September 2020, a teacher’s festival called ‘Shikshak Parv’ was held specifically for discussing various NEP 2020 ideas and implementation plans, and it drew over 15 lakh suggestions.

Expert groups analysed the proposals/feedback obtained during this process. Also, the authorities ensured to integrate essential suggestions from states, Union territories, and other stakeholders into the final implementation plan. Some states have not yet provided feedback. However, it will be integrated into this plan as soon as it is received.

SARTHAQ’s Main Objectives

• The strategy will pave the way for curriculum modifications, including creating new national and state framework curricula for schools and early childhood education and care.
• The project will focus on raising children’s enrolment ratios, such as the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) and Net Enrolment Ratio (NER), improving transition rates and retention rates at all levels, and reducing dropouts and out-of-school children.
• By 2025, it will help provide all students in Grade 3 with access to high-quality Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) and Universal Acquisition of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy.
• Teacher education programmes will also be improved in terms of quality.
• Its focus will be on experimental education.
• Students will learn about vocational training, athletics, the arts, Indian knowledge, 21st-century expertise skills, citizenship values, and environmental conservation awareness in the curriculum.
• To improve learning outcomes at all levels, concentrating on the mother tongue, local, or regional languages in the early years of learning.
• To strengthen the physical and online infrastructure, including enabling barrier-free access and resource sharing among multiple schools.

About SARTHAQ

1. SARTHAQ recognises the concurrent character of education and upholds the federalist philosophy.
2. The strategy lays out the steps for implementing NEP 2020 over the next ten years.
3. States and Union Territories have been granted the ability to “localise” the plan and adjust it as needed.
4. They were given the freedom to change the strategy to suit their wants and requirements.
5. An increase in the Gross Enrolment Ratio, or we can see it as the gross ratio of enrollment. (GER), Net Enrolment Ratio (NER), transition rate, and retention rate at all levels, as well as a decrease in dropouts and out-of-school children.
6. Access to high-quality early childhood education, as well as the universal acquisition of foundational literacy and numeracy by grade three.
7. Improvements in learning outcomes at all levels, focusing on teaching and learning in the early years through mother tongue/local/regional languages.
8. At all levels, vocational education, athletics, the arts, knowledge of India, 21st-century skills, citizenship values, environmental awareness, and other topics are included in the curriculum.
9. Experiential learning is being introduced at all levels, and teachers use creative pedagogies in the classroom.
10. Integration of technology into educational planning and governance and classroom access to ICT and high-quality e-content.

Way Forward

• Cooperative Federalism is a must-have – Because education is a concurrent list issue, both the federal and state governments can pass laws on it; the federal and state governments can only implement the suggested reforms collaboratively. Though the SARTHAQ implementation plan includes a federalist character on paper, it must be followed throughout the policy implementation phase on the ground.
• Seeking education to be universal – Creating “inclusion funds” is required to allow youngsters from disadvantaged social and educational backgrounds to continue their education. In addition, a regulatory system that can oversee the benefit from uncounted gifts in education must be put in place.
• To bridge the digital gap – Because technology is a force multiplier, unequal access to it may widen the divide between haves and have-nots. As a result, the state must address the apparent disparities in access to digital education tools.

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