CRC (Cluster Resource Center)

 

CRC (Cluster Resource Center)

 

Education is a fundamental right, but it is still not accessible to many children in rural areas. These areas’ lack of resources and infrastructure is a significant obstacle to providing quality education. The Cluster Resource Center (CRC) is a unique solution that tries to bridge the gap between schools located in urban & rural areas regarding education. It is a center that provides academic support to the government schools in the cluster.

 

Origin of Cluster Resource Center

The history of Cluster Resource Centers (CRCs) in India dates back to the early 1990s, with the District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) launched in 1994. The DPEP was a centrally sponsored program to provide universal primary education focusing on disadvantaged sections of society. As part of the program, CRCs were introduced to provide academic support to schools in a cluster.

 

With the launch of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) in 2001, the role of CRCs was further strengthened. The SSA aimed at providing universal elementary education, with a focus on the quality of education. The CRCs were given additional responsibilities such as conducting teacher training programs, developing teaching and learning materials, and providing school academic support.

 

In 2018, the SSA was subsumed under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, which aims at providing quality education to all students from pre-primary to senior secondary levels. The CRCs continue to play a crucial role in the program’s implementation by providing academic and administrative support to schools in their respective clusters.

 

Over the years, the concept of CRCs has evolved to meet the changing needs and priorities of the education sector. From providing academic support to schools in a cluster, the role of CRCs has expanded to include conducting surveys, monitoring the implementation of programs, and providing technical support to schools. The history of CRCs in India is a testament to the government’s commitment to providing quality education to all students, and the role of CRCs in achieving this goal cannot be overstated. The CRCs provide academic, administrative, and technical support to the schools in their respective clusters.

 

Some of the key responsibilities assigned to CRCs include:

 

Conducting regular academic monitoring of schools in the cluster and providing feedback to teachers and school authorities.

Developing and implementing a plan for academic support to schools, including organizing and conducting teacher training programs and providing access to teaching and learning materials.

Conducting surveys and collecting data on various aspects of school education, such as student enrollment, attendance, and learning outcomes.

Monitoring the implementation of various government schemes and programs related to education in the schools of their cluster.

Providing technical support to schools in ICT integration, infrastructure development, and maintenance.

Ensuring the effective implementation of various child-centered activities in the schools, such as co-curricular and extracurricular activities; and

Encouraging community participation in school activities and promoting a culture of education in the community.

Overall, the role of CRCs is crucial in improving the quality of education in their respective clusters. They play a vital role in the overall development of the education system in India at the grassroots level.

 

Concept of Cluster Resource Center

 

The Cluster Resource Center is a centre that provides academic support to the government schools in the cluster. A cluster is a group of five to ten schools that are located near each other. The CRC is responsible for the overall development of the cluster schools. It provides academic, administrative, and technical support to the schools. The Head Master of the school where the CRc is located is designated as the CRC-Coordinators. Rach CRC in India has a designated CRC-Coordinator who is mostly the head of the school/Head Master/Head-Teacher.

 

Number of Cluster Resource Centers

 

The number of CRCs in India has increased over the years. As of 2021, there are more than 1,50,000 CRCs in the country. These centers are spread across all the States & Union Territories of India.

 

Status of Cluster Resource Centers

 

The Cluster Resource Centers are an integral part of the education system in India. The government has recognized CRCs’ importance and provided them with adequate resources to carry out their functions. The CRCs are supervised by the District Education Officers (DEO).

 

Criteria for Establishing Cluster Resource Centers

 

To establish a Cluster Resource Center, a set of specific criteria need to be fulfilled. The cluster should have a minimum of five schools and a maximum of ten schools. The schools should be located in a geographically contiguous area. The cluster should have a minimum enrolment of 200 students. The cluster should have a minimum of two subject teachers in each school.

 

Functions of Cluster Resource Centers

The Cluster Resource Centers have various functions, including:

Academic Support: The CRC provides academic support to the schools in the cluster. It conducts subject-specific training programs for teachers to improve their teaching skills. It also conducts remedial classes for weak students in certain subjects.

 

Administrative Support: The CRC provides administrative support to the schools in the cluster. It helps maintain the records of the students and teachers. It also helps in organizing various school activities like sports, cultural events

 

How are CRCs different than BRCs?

 

CRCs and BRCs are both types of resource centers that support government schools in India, with the following key differences between the two:

Size and Scope: CRCs are smaller in size as compared to BRCs. A CRC covers a cluster of five to ten schools, whereas a BRC covers 75 to 100 schools.

Hierarchy: BRCs are located at a higher level in the education hierarchy than CRCs. BRCs are responsible for supporting CRCs, whereas CRCs directly support schools.

Functioning: BRCs focus on planning and implementing educational programs and policies at the block level, whereas CRCs focus on providing academic, administrative, and technical support to schools at the cluster level.

Staffing: BRCs have a more extensive staff as compared to CRCs. BRCs have a Block Resource Coordinator, Assistant Block Resource Coordinator, and other staff members, whereas CRCs have a Cluster Resource Person and other support staff.

Overall, while CRCs and BRCs are important for improving the quality of school education in government schools, they differ in size, scope, hierarchy, functioning, and staffing.

 

Providing academic support to teachers: The CRCs support teachers in their respective clusters. This includes training and capacity building of teachers, helping them to improve their teaching skills, and providing them with the necessary resources for effective classroom teaching.

Conducting regular assessments of students: The CRCs are responsible for conducting regular assessments of students in their clusters, identifying learning gaps, and providing remedial support to students who need it.

Promoting inclusive education: The CRCs are responsible for promoting inclusive education in their clusters. This includes identifying and addressing the needs of children with disabilities, children from disadvantaged backgrounds, and children from marginalized communities.

Building partnerships with the community: The CRCs are responsible for building partnerships with the community to promote community participation in school activities and to ensure that education is seen as a shared responsibility.

Monitoring and evaluation: The CRCs are responsible for monitoring the progress of schools in their clusters and evaluating the effectiveness of interventions undertaken to improve the quality of education.

Overall, the role of CRCs under Samagra Shiksha is critical in ensuring that every child has got access to quality education, irrespective of their background or ability. The program recognizes the importance of solid support systems for teachers and schools, and the role of CRCs in providing this support is seen as essential to achieving the goal of universal education in India.