The Union School Education Secretary has written to all government secretaries, requesting their help in “encouraging” Public Sector Units (PSUs) to contribute to basic infrastructure for government schools across the country and also get government officials to volunteer for various services in government schools.
This is as part of the ‘Vidyanjali’ scheme launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi a year ago with the aim of strengthening the infrastructure and facilities as well as improving the quality of education in government schools. The idea of the scheme was to solicit voluntary contributions and support from citizens, NRIs, persons of Indian origin, institutions, companies and civil society.
“In the above context, I have the following requests — kindly arrange to disseminate the information about the ‘Vidyanjali’ initiative among the officers and staff of your Department/Ministry/regional offices etc. so that they may also volunteer or contribute to the cause of school education,” Anita Karwal, Secretary of Department of School Education, wrote to all the Secretaries on September 21.
News18 has a copy of the letter. “Kindly encourage PSUs/autonomous bodies/other organizations under your control to also contribute either through CSR (corporate social responsibility) or individually to help our schools and learners to achieve the goals of Atma Nirbhar Bharat,” the letter said, asking for ensuring “maximum and active participation from all quarters” to the appeal.
So far, nearly 3.82 lakh government and government-aided schools have been on-boarded the Vidyanjali portal and close to 95,000 volunteers have registered on the portal with nearly 6.91 lakh children benefiting from their contributions, as per Vidyanjali portal.
What is Vidyanjali Scheme?
Under the scheme, a volunteer can contribute through the Vidyanjali portal either by providing services or/and assets, material or equipment. Under ‘services’, a volunteer can provide subject assistance, assistance for teaching art and craft, yoga, sports, vocational skills, languages, teaching assistance for children with special needs, providing nutritional support in additional to mid-day meals, provide sponsorship for trained counselors, special educators, sponsor medical camps by doctors, sponsor participation in sports and cultural events or sponsor for self-defense training.
Under the broad categories of contribution under the head ‘assets/material/equipment’, what can be provided to government or government-aided schools includes basic civil infrastructure, electric infrastructure, classroom support materials and equipment, digital infrastructure, equipment for extra-curricular activities and sports, yoga and health, and safety aids. Equipment for learning material and office stationary and furniture can be supplied under the scheme.
The scheme, however, specifies that contribution of assets or material cannot be in the form of any monetary support. Schools post their requests on the Vidyanjali portal and volunteers interested in the programme can connect with the schools of their choice by logging on the portal, the Secretary’s letter has specified.
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