U.P. schools to be assessed on pattern followed for univs, colleges

Now secondary schools of Uttar Pradesh will also be evaluated on the pattern followed for universities and degree colleges

Now secondary schools of Uttar Pradesh will also be evaluated on the pattern followed for universities and degree colleges. “Under the provisions of new National Education Policy (NEP)-2020, the state secondary education department has sent a proposal to the state government to set up Uttar Pradesh’s own State School Standards Authority to ensure that all schools follow certain minimal professional and quality standards,” said a senior state secondary education department official aware of the matter.

Students studying at a government higher secondary school at Gohri in Prayagraj. (HT file)

As part of it, all secondary schools of the state will be evaluated at least once every five years on the basis of points awarded against set parameters like academics, sports and resources etc, the official added.

Director, secondary education, U.P., Mahendra Dev in a missive dated March 16, 2023 to all additional education directors (secondary/government/basic education) and secretary of UP Board among others spelled out the new initiative.

The missive, a copy of which is with HT, makes plain that the proposed authority will help improve the efficiency, transparency and time-bound functioning of the schools which will directly benefit the students studying in them. Officials said government and government-aided secondary schools as well as unaided secondary schools will all be evaluated by the proposed authority as part of this initiative.

The secretary, UP Board, will issue certificates to the schools on the basis of this in-depth evaluation. The UP Board in its new guidelines famed for granting recognition to secondary schools has included the assessment once every five years as a precondition for it. Uttar Pradesh currently has 2,273 government-run secondary schools, 4,512 government-aided and over 22,000 unaided secondary schools.

Though this new assessment system is being planned on the basis of the system already in place for higher educational institutions by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), at present only 104 (1.31%) out of total 1926 higher educational institutions of the state have got NAAC accreditation as in 2023.

Moreover, there are also 169 educational institutions in the state which have not got their re-evaluation done despite it getting overdue. State higher education minister Yogendra Upadhyay has given instructions to ensure NAAC evaluation of all eligible higher educational institutions on priority. For this, instructions have been given to make universities or NAAC rated institutions mentors or nodal institutions for non-accredited universities and colleges.