Accreditation rating for schools in states from next academic year

Hyderabad: School education is set to get an accreditation system on the lines of higher education in India. The new accreditation system State School Standard Authority (SSSA) will take place from next academic year. Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA government is working on an accreditation system for schools in India for enhancing quality standards. The accreditation system is likely to be at the state level instead of the national level.

Kasturirangan committee on the new educational policy has recommended the accreditation system for schools. The Committee further suggested the new licence system from SSSA for setting up new schools should be implemented.

As per the existent system, School Education Department and District Education Officers (DEOs) are maintaining schools and standards, but not delivering the desired results, observed the Committee.

The Committee in its report on New Education system clarified that schools are not able to provide quality education in the country.

The new suggestions include the four factors for better school administration and maintenance. It suggested for enhancing quality school education. The SSSA should have policymaking, provision, operation of training, professional expertise and quality standards. The key parameters are for the new school education system in India.

The Centre should appoint an autonomous body to maintain academic affairs, and towards this, the state government should ensure decentralisation of power.

The School Education Department should monitor quality standards and policy framing at schools. The School Education Directorate should take up rules and schemes at schools.

States should set up autonomous bodies like SSSA for enhancing professional quality standards. SSSA should engage all the schools, teachers in framing rules and regulations.

The state governments should set up State Education Research and Training councils.

SSSA should prepare a framework on awarding accreditation based on the self-audit reports.

All the rules and regulations by SSSA should be in a transparent way and make them available to the public from time to time, observed the committee.