What is SQAA and how does it work?

Vinod Kakumanu
May 29, 2023, 10:24 a.m.

The Central Board of Secondary Education recognises the importance of self- assessment as an integral part of its schools' review and improvement plan. Thus, to assist these schools in measuring how they are performing in different domains, the board developed a quality assurance framework called Central Board of Secondary Education Student Quality Assurance and Accreditation, also known as SQAA.

The purpose of SQAA is to enable CBSE affiliated schools to assess themselves against a set of benchmarks and standards, identify areas of improvement, and take corrective action accordingly.The framework covers various aspects of school management, governance, teaching-learning processes, infrastructure and facilities, student support services, community engagement and so on.

There are 8 Domains SQAA COVERS:

1- Scholastic processes 25%

2- Co- Scholastic processes 15%

3- Infrastructure 10%

4- Human resources 10%

5 - Inclusive practices 10%

6- Management and Governance 10%

7- Leadership 10%

8- Beneficiary satisfaction 10%

With formation of the SQAA framework, CBSE is able to:

a. reflect and review schools' processes at periodic intervals.

b. use the data assimilated to respond proactively to the changing paradigms in the field of education.

c. prepare students on how to cope with an increasingly complex and interdependent world.

d. establish inclusive schools with a purposeful learning culture and achieve high standards of learning and personal development .

e. develop individual and collective responsibility and accountability in ensuring learning outcomes of students.

f. assess and endorse the schools as learning organisations that meet established standards.

g. Work on strategies to become incubators of innovation .

h. formulate modules in collaboration with Hubs of Learning to bring about enhancement in student outcomes.

i. recognise, retain and sustain the unique elements of schools in their local regions.

Eligibility for SQAA Process

Since SQAA is mandatory for all CBSE affiliated schools, each school affiliated to the Board must update its information online on the eight domains once every three years.The schools aspiring to be affiliated to the Board may also undergo the process in an offline mode and prepare themselves for being recognised as a CBSE School.

The CBSE SQAA framework helps schools in preparing for external accreditation by bodies like National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) and Quality Council of India (QCI).The SQAA framework also helps CBSE in maintaining the quality benchmark of its affiliated schools and raising standard of education in the country.

The framework empowers and enables schools to self- assess by providing them guidelines and tools and instruments to achieve self- set targets and goals as well.