The SSA (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan) scheme was launched in J&K in 2000 to strengthen the system of elementary education. The aim of the scheme was to provide every child easy access to school, especially in remote areas. While free and compulsory elementary education of children in the age group of 6 to 14 years is mandated by the 86th Constitutional Amendment, but the implementation of the said Act is done by the SSA teachers who were recruited on merit basis at zonal or panchayat level. The purpose of recruiting local qualified teachers was to make the teaching and learning process more effective through common resource utilisation and by enabling schools to remain open even in bad weather conditions and to maintain the regularity of schooling.
The SSA scheme was not meant to eradicate unemployment in the country but to provide education to all, especially the marginalized sections of society who had never been to school. It was a revolutionary step in the education sector. The policy was framed in a holistic and meticulous manner covering all the dimensions which were felt necessary in the education of a child. The infrastructure required ranged from physical to social. While physical infrastructure included school buildings, toilet facility, boundary walls, fencing, water facility, etc, social infrastructure comprised the teachers who could actually implement the scheme at ground level.
Thus SSA teachers were recruited by the government of J&K through the department of education, which consists of a chain of employees ranging from teacher to director through ZEOs and CEOs. The SSA teachers’ recruitment guidelines were framed by the central government, and these rules and regulations were implemented by the J&K education department through CEOs and ZEOs of different districts and zones.
The SSA teachers have dedicated the prime of their life in rendering services to the department in different capacities. During winters the department feels dire need of lecturers at higher levels and this shortage is compensated by the same SSA teachers. Just imagine the scenario of school education without SSA teachers: it will be dark and barren.
A question often raised is why government schools are not showing good results? The answers are many, but the main reason is that higher officials are not inspecting the teaching learning process practically. The government school machinery runs more on paper. There is no implementation of the designed methods and ways of teaching. In this context, the teachers hired are equally responsible. In order to bring change in government schools, the human resource available in whatever capacity needs to be mobilised effectively by making practical visits to schools and inspecting the teaching-learning process. When human resource will be mobilised, other things shall follow naturally. Mere criticism of teachers, especially of SSA teachers, will not help. However, appreciation and a positive outlook can do wonders.
Role of SSA Teachers
