A New Path to Improved Bilateral-Relations
The United Kingdom (UK) has been one of India’s Bilateral Development Partners since 1958. The Department for International Development (DFID) has identified various priority sectors in India, of which education is one, specifically Primary Education. India had tied up with three international partners to fund the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA). The UK, through DFID contributed £210 million in 2001 to SSA. In a press release (4 March 2008, DFID), Prime Minister Gordon Brown has further pledged £150 million towards SSA to train 3,00,000 teachers and build 3,00,000 classrooms by 2011 to cater to almost four million children.
