The project aimed to strengthen decentralised education planning and management across six states that are part of the World Bank’s STARS (Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States) initiative. The states include Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Rajasthan.
Decentralised planning, initiated during the District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) in 1995, has significantly improved primary education in India. Despite progress through initiatives like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), and the Right to Education Act, challenges remain. This initiative, along with capacity-building exercises helps the states in developing results-oriented education plans and fund initiatives focused on five key segments:
- Strengthening early years education
- Improving learning assessment systems
- Enhancing teacher performance and classroom practice
- Facilitating school-to-work/higher education transitions
- Improving governance and decentralised management for better public service delivery
During the project, we undertook capacity building activities for the state and district officials to develop, implement, and appraise educational plans. It included developing knowledge, skills, and aptitude for decentralised education planning, enabling them to create STARS Annual Work Plans & Budgets.
