Context: Recently, the World Bank board has approved a project worth $500 million to improve the learning outcome and governance of government schools through the project STARS.
Background

• According to WB, India has made significant strides in improving access to education across the country. 
• Between 2004-05 and 2018-19, the number of children going to school increased from 219 million to 248 million.
• However, the learning outcomes of students across all age groups remain below par.

About Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States Program (STARS)

• It will be implemented through the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, the flagship central scheme of India.
• Its funding is done by World Bank (approved $500 million).

Coverage Area

• Six states included in the project are Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Rajasthan.
• More than 52% of children in government-run schools in the six project states belong to vulnerable sections, such as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and minority communities.

Benefits

• The project will help improve the learning assessment systems, strengthen classroom instruction, and remediation, facilitate school-to-work transition, and strengthen governance and decentralized management.
• It will also address “the ‘learning outcome’ challenge and help students better prepare for the jobs of the future.
• STARS will aid India’s response by strengthening implementation at the local level, investing in teacher capacity, and ensuring that no child of any background is left behind from the right to education.

STARS Programme-India

• The programme was launched in 1994. The World Bank through the programme has helped India achieve its vision of “Education for All”.
• Prior to STARS, the World Bank had provided 3 billion USD to help India achieve its above vision.

About Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan
The Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan is an integrated programme for school children. It benefits students from pre-school to Class XII. There are three schemes under the programme. They are as follows

• Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
• Rashtriya Madyamik Shiksha Abhiyan
• Teacher Education

The scheme aims to ensure inclusive and equitable education to all children in accordance to Sustainable Development Goals

Sustainable development Goals

• The SDG-4.1 aims to provide free and quality education to all boys and girls. The SDG-4.5 aims to eliminate gender disparities in education.