Schools in the state will now be routinely evaluated and graded based on various parameters including physical infrastructure, number of teachers and governance practices, as prescribed in the National Education Policy (NEP). The state government on Friday announced the creation of a special agency, the State School Standards Authority (SSSA) for setting and enforcing quality standards for the states schools.
Assessment Criteria and Grades for Schools Under New Evaluation Body
The body will be responsible for evaluating the schools through both self and thirdparty assessment. The schools will be given one of the six grades (A+, A, B, B+, C, C+) according to their performance. These grades will have to be displayed at the schools.
NEP's Recommendations For Quality Assurance In Education
The NEP recommends an effective quality self-regulation or accreditation system for all stages of education to ensure that all schools follow certain minimal professional and quality standards. It suggests that the SSSA establish a minimal set of standards based on basic parameters such as safety, security, basic infrastructure, number of teachers across subjects and grades, financial probity, and sound processes of governance.
Six-Member SSA Committee To Oversee Educational Quality
The SSSA will be a six-member body, chaired by the Director of the State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT). The authority will maintain a special portal providing details about schools documents, self-assessments, and thirdparty assessments. All schools in the state are required to carry out the process of self-evaluation on this portal. The authority will determine the frequency of the evaluation process.
