Paridhi Gola
Educational reforms mean that we not only need to make education progressive but also ensure that the fruits of education reach the masses.
We also need to think of effective ways to democratise the way our children learn. Towards that, the government?s focus on skill development is heartening. The government has set an ambitious target of skilling 50 million people in the 12th Plan period, including 9 million in 2013-14. Besides allocating R1,000 crore to National Skill Development Corporation, extra funds from National Rural Livelihood Mission and the National Urban Livelihood Mission and other sources will be spent on skill development.
Another step in the right direction is the move to implement the 6,000 model schools at block level and Credit Guarantee Fund for better flow of credit to students. We need to watch when and how these get implemented, which is a regular Budget agenda and any further delay will erode the private sector?s confidence on this scheme.
While the Budget allocation is good, it is time we have a mechanism to review and monitor the flow of funds.
The author studies at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology. This entry is part of the FE Mastermind contest. Views are personal