Page 162 - DEDU501_DEVELOPMENT_OF_EDUCATION_SYSTEM_ENGLISH

Development of Education System

Notes One of the features of DPEP is its funding source. A substantial share of the funds is drawn from
the external sources. And the funding sources are getting diversified over a period of time. It is
a centrally sponsored scheme and hence the sources of funding are less important for the
districts. The more crucial point is a guarantee from the Union government that the funds will
be made available as and when needed as per the requirements projected in the district plans.
These funds are to be seen as additionalities and are not substitutable for the existing
programmes. In other words, it means that the DPEP funds are over and above the normal
developmental expenditure the state and district would otherwise incurred. This in more concrete
terms means that: (i) DPEP may not fund any of the ongoing regular programmes which the
state governments are supposed to fund to maintain the existing levels of efficiency of the
system; and (ii) the state government is expected to maintain the budgetary provision for
primary education.
This has considerable implications for planning. While the district plans are drawn to achieve
the goals of universal primary education, the funds under the DPEP may not be sufficient to
meet all the requirements. At the same time, the districts are supposed to achieve the plan
targets. The gap between what is actually required and what is actually allocated by the
programme is to be funded by the state. In this sense, the DPEP funding needs to seen more as
a mechanism to reduce the financial pressure on the district and state than as sufficient allocations
to achieve the targets.
Other financial considerations clearly indicate the priorities within the primary education sector.
The civil works cost is to be restricted to a maximum ceiling of 24% and the management cost
to a maximum limit of around 6%. Therefore, the districts are left with 70% of the DPEP
allocations to be devoted to programmes to improve the educational system.
Self Assessment

1. Fill in the blanks :
(i) District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) is the ....................... .
(ii) One of the main features of DPEP is .......................... .
(iii) The DPEP envisages providing a lump sum amount of the disposal of the ..................... to
allocate as per the requirements detailed out in plans.

17.4 Management Structure of DPEP
DPEP envisages distinct management structures to facilitate better implementation of the
programme, to closely monitor the activities and to facilitate faster flow of funds. These structures
are envisaged at the national, state and district levels (for details see Department of Education:
1994). The focus of all these new structures is to facilitate implementation of district plans. In
other words, the new structures are supportive to the district plans.
Developing a Management Information System (MIS) to collect information to monitor DPEP
activities is an essential element in the programme. Similarly, the structure at the national level
envisages setting up programme evaluation and research unit to facilitate studies in the area of
primary education. All these structures are supposed to get merged with the existing
organizational arrangements by the end of the project period. In the first phase of the programme,
it is implemented only in selected districts that too in some of the states. Even in the selected
states, all the districts are not covered under this programme. At present the programme covers
42 districts - 19 districts of Madhya Pradesh, 5 districts of Maharashtra, 4 districts of Assam,
Haryana and Karnataka, 3 districts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The planning process is complete
in these districts. The programme is extended to 5 districts of West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh
where the planning process has been initiated. It is expected that 110 districts will be covered
under this programme by the end of the Eighth Five Year Plan.

156 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY