The full form of SSA Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan was named by the 86th Amendment to the constitution of India. under this mission, education is seen as a fundamental right for all kids aged between 6 to 14. The programme, aimed at universalisation of elementary education, was pioneered by former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee around the years 2000-2002.
The SSA rose out of a need to reduce illiteracy rates especially in the North and Northeast states in the country. The funds allocated for the project was over ₹25000 crore, bore by both state and central governments. The share of the central government was funded with the help of agencies like the World Bank and UNESCO.
Later, several NGOs like the Phia Foundation, Centre for Unfolding Learning Potentials - CULP and the Smile Foundation also contributed in their own separate ways to promoting free education for all children.
The Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat is a nationwide sub-programme of SSA started after it took flight. Aimed at improving reading among children in classes 1 and 2 to ensure better further studies, it was launched in 2014 by the HRD Minister, Smriti Irani.
Without a doubt, the SSA has been very successful in increasing the number of schools, classrooms and teachers in the state education system and with a slow but steady increase in literacy rate, it has and will have a significant impact on the development of our country.
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