Shala Pravishotsav and Kanya Kelavani Rath Yatra of Gujarat completed 23 years, marking the continuation of one of the largest educational outreach and school enrollment campaigns in the state.
The initiative was launched in 2003 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat, at a time when the state was witnessing a school dropout rate of over 37%, a press release shared by the state government said.
The campaign aims to increase school enrollment rates, reduce school dropout rates, and promote education among girls through the direct participation of public sector representatives and government officials.
Officials arrived in villages to encourage enrollment
As part of the campaign, ministers, district aides and senior officials from IAS, IPS and IFS visited villages and interacted with families to encourage parents to send their children to school.
This initiative has continued annually for the past 23 years and has gradually evolved into a broader education and social awareness program.
According to the statement, children who attended schools during the first years of the campaign are today working in professions such as medicine, engineering, teaching, and entrepreneurship.
Special focus on girls’ education
The Gujarat government has merged Kanya Kelavani Rath Yatra with Shala Pravishotsav to enhance enrollment and retention of girl students in schools.
The state government has also launched schemes like Namo Lakshmi Yojana, under which financial assistance up to… $50,000 is provided to girls studying in grades 9 to 12.
Another scheme, Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana, provides financial support up to $25,000 over two years for students pursuing science education in grades 11 and 12.
The focus has expanded to include quality education and technology
The campaign later expanded its focus from enrollment to quality education, the statement said.
In 2009, the Gujarat government launched the Gunotsav program to promote quality assessment of schools. The program has since evolved into Gunotsav 2.0 (GSQAC), in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Under the Schools Quality Assessment and Assurance Framework (SQAAF), 211 criteria have been identified to evaluate the quality of schools.
Gujarat has also implemented 5+3+3+4 academic structure under NEP 2020 and Balvatika Global Foundation Phase.
The state has integrated technology into the education system through digital birth registration, child tracking systems, and Vidya Samiksha Kendra, an artificial intelligence-based educational monitoring platform.
According to the statement, AI-based early warning systems are also being used to identify potential school dropouts and enable timely intervention.
Public participation remained a key feature
The statement said that citizens, institutions and organizations contributed approximately that $326 crore to schools over the last 23 years.
School management committees currently have 75% parent participation and 50% women representation.
Scholarship programs like Mukhyamantri Gyan Sadhana and Gyan Setu are also implemented to support meritorious students.
