The Union Cabinet approved the Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States (STARS) project.79 The project aims to improve the quality of education in the country.
At the national level, the scheme aims to (i) strengthen data collected on retention, transition, and completion rates of students, (ii) set up a National Assessment Centre to facilitate inter-state communication, and (iii) set up a Contingency Emergency Response Component to facilitate education during natural and man-made disasters, amongst others. At the state-level, the scheme will focus on matters such as (i) strengthening early childhood education and foundational learning, (ii) improving learning assessment systems, and (iii) strengthening vocational education and classroom instruction.
It will focus on the following six states: Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan.
The total cost of the project will be Rs 5,718 crore. A financial assistance of Rs 3,700 crore will be provided by the World Bank for the project. It will be implemented as a new scheme sponsored by the central government.
