Shimla: In a significant step towards improving the quality of school education, Samagra Shiksha in Himachal Pradesh has launched a comprehensive ground-level assessment of academic programs across the state. The initiative is being carried out in collaboration with the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) under its “Extension and Community Outreach Programme.”
Samagra Shiksha Director Rajesh Sharma flagged off the NIEPA research team from Shimla after a detailed briefing session. The meeting was attended by School Education Director Ashish Kohli, NIEPA Assistant Professor Kashyapi Awasthi, and other senior officials.
This marks the first time that Samagra Shiksha Himachal is getting its academic programmes independently evaluated by a premier national institution. The 34-member NIEPA team, led by Kashyapi Awasthi and including Dr. Ravi Prakash, will conduct field visits in schools across the Devgarh, Gumma, and Deha clusters in Shimla district. The team will assess teaching practices, policy implementation, and overall learning outcomes, and will prepare a detailed report with actionable recommendations.
Focus on Educational Reforms
Rajesh Sharma highlighted that the state government has undertaken several progressive measures to enhance school education. These include continuous teacher training, periodic assessment of students’ learning levels using modern tools, and creating a student-friendly school environment. Initiatives like the composite school model and cluster school system have also been implemented to ensure better resource utilization and coordination.
Strong Emphasis on FLN
He further stated that focused efforts on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) have yielded encouraging results. Himachal Pradesh has shown notable improvement in learning outcomes at the primary level, even surpassing leading states like Kerala in certain parameters. The state has also secured a place among the top five in the national ‘PARAKH’ survey, a significant leap from its earlier 21st rank in the NAS survey.
Researchers to Gain First-Hand Experience
Nodal Officer Dr. Manjula Sharma informed that researchers will stay with local families in the selected clusters to gain first-hand insights into the education system. They will interact with communities, support teacher capacity-building activities, and conduct awareness programmes to strengthen public engagement in education.
NIEPA, a premier autonomous institution under the Government of India based in New Delhi, plays a key role in educational planning, management, training, and policy research. This initiative is expected to provide Himachal Pradesh with valuable, evidence-based inputs to further strengthen its education policies and ensure better learning outcomes.
