Only 11% UP schools vie for ‘Swachh Vidyalaya’ award

Lucknow: Only 26% schools in UP have registered for the Swachh Vidyalaya Puruskar (SVP), instituted by the Central government to recognize, inspire and celebrate excellence in sanitation and hygiene practice in schools.
As per the department of basic education, only 10.9% schools in the state have made the final submission for 2021-22.
Entries for the award will close on March 31.In numbers, out of 2,56,912 lakh schools, including KVs, JNVs, state-run schools, aided institutions, KGBVs and private schools, only 67,119 have registered, while merely 28,110 have ensured participation.
Based on IT enabled assessment of WASH infrastructure, hygienic practices and Covid-19 appropriate behaviour, Swachh Vidyalaya Puruskar aims to honor schools that have undertaken significant steps towards fulfilling the mandate of the Swachh Vidyalaya campaign.
The performance of schools will be evaluated for facilities such as availability of drinking water, toilets, hand-washing with soap, Covid-19 (preparedness and responses) besides capacity building, and operation and maintenance.
There are three categories of awards – district level, state level and national level.
While the district level awards are open to all three, four and five-star rated schools, state level awards are only for four and five-star rated schools.
Schools with five-star ratings are eligible for national level awards.
Director general school education Anamika Singh has asked all district basic education officers to encourage more participation in the campaign, ‘It’s time to showcase my school’.