Operation Blackboard: Success or Failure

The National Policy on Education (1986) initiated a scheme called "Operation Blackboard Scheme", which was launched in 1987. It was formulated with an assumption that the improvement in school environment would increase the enrolment rate, retention rate and attainment levels of primary school children. The three interdependent components in the scheme were provision of at least two reasonably large rooms that are usable in all weathers, with a deep veranda along with toilet facilities for boys and girls separately; provision of at lest two teachers, as far as possible, one of them a woman, in every primary school; and provision of essential teaching learning materials. The scheme prescribed the above-mentioned minimum level of facilities to all primary schools with a view to ensure improvement in school environment. The scheme has realized its goals to some extent and these results will be of use to a great extent in realization of the objectives of District Primary Education Programme and Sarva Shiksh Abhiyan.