New Delhi, September 13
Asserting that much work needs to be done before the government is in a position to launch the Scheme for Universalisation of Access for Secondary Education (SUCCESS), Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said today that special attention would need to be paid to districts with SC, ST, OBC and minority concentration.

“The recommendations of the Sachar Committee need to be seriously considered while planning for this programme,” the Prime Minister said, chairing the full Planning Commission meeting here.

The Prime Minister said the centre’s funding for education sector in the 11th plan would be Rs 2.5 lakh crore, a four-fold increase over the 10th plan.

“This reflects the high priority being given to education by our government and represents credible progress towards the objective of raising public spending of the centre and the states combined to 6 per cent of GDP,” he said.

However, the Prime Minister told the meeting, attended by senior cabinet ministers and Planning Commission deputy chairperson Montek Singh Ahluwalia, that targets should be set for each of the programmes.

“We cannot discuss options endlessly. We need to work with a sense of urgency and work to fixed timelines if we have to see action on the ground.”

“Proposals for setting up 6,000 schools covering all blocks, having 30 central universities and providing large capacities in vocational education must be finalised within the next two months,” he said, adding “locational decisions must be taken fast and it is only then that the common man will have faith in our ability to deliver on our promises.”

Directing the planning commission to work on the proposal to hike the fees for higher education, Dr Manmohan Singh favoured roping in private sector in both secondary and higher education.