Why is TG hesitant to establish SSSA and SQAAF for school education?

The Telangana government is considering converting all Anganwadi centers into English medium schools, similar to Andhra Pradesh. However, they are not following the National Education Policy-2020 (NEP-2020) recommendation to establish the State School Standards Authority (SSSA).

The government believes that making every school an English medium one will automatically improve education standards. Currently, a school’s performance is judged based on students’ results in SSC examinations, but the NEP-2020 suggests a broader perspective on evaluating school performance.

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The NEP-2020 proposes setting up the State School Standards Authority (SSSA) and making the State Council of Education Research and Training (SCERT) an independent body to improve education standards comprehensively. The plan includes implementing quality self-regulation and accreditation systems for all stages of education, including pre-school education.

The SSSA will establish basic standards for schools, focusing on safety, infrastructure, teacher numbers, financial integrity, and governance processes. Schools will have to disclose information about their compliance with these standards publicly.

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The SCERT will work with the National Council of Education, Research and Training (NCERT) on academic matters, setting standards and curricula for schools in the state. They will also develop a School Quality Assessment and Accreditation Framework (SQAAF) to improve educational institutions.

Ultimately, the goal is to enhance the capacity and work culture of educational institutions like CRCs, BRCs, and DIETs over three years. Student competencies at the school-leaving stage will be assessed by Boards of Assessment and Examination in each state.

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