WHAT THE RTE ACT NEEDS TO ENSURE ?

The Right to Education Bill was notified as an Act on April 1, 2010 by the government. The Bill was brought and passed by government after 16 years of struggle to ensure free and compulsory education for all children in six to fourteen years age group as a Fundamental Right.

However the manner in which the UPA government diluted the bill has made in incapable of delivering on the expectations it was supposed to fulfill. while the passing of the RTE bill is a progressive step in itself a constant struggle has to be waged to make the bill implement its stated objective in letter and spirit.

The Prime Minister has made a touching speech to the country recounting his own experience as a child born in a family of modest means. While it is welcome that the Prime Minister has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to provide education to every Indian child, we find that his government has to walk a long path to bridge the gap between rhetoric and concrete action. The biggest test of UPA’s commitment to universalize education has to be seen in the funds being made available for education.

MHRD’s own estimates have put the required spending for Right to Education in the Eleventh Plan at Rs 1.73 lakh crores. This gives an annual requirement of Rs 34,600 crores per year. However this year’s budget only saw Rs 22000 crores being allocated. Such half hearted and piecemeal efforts will not go anywhere to provide all Indian children with education, and help them flourish in their lives.

What the RTE Act needs to ensure:

1. The entire expenditure for the implementation of the Right to Education should be borne by the central Government.

2. Education of children of 0 to 6 and 14-18 has to be brought into the purview of the Act, thereby universalizing both primary and secondary education

3. Required number of government / aided schools should be opened, with hostel facilities particularly in tribal areas, in course of time for ensuring universal enrolment. Every habitat must have a school up to class XII level within the prescribed distance limits. For admission of children belonging to weaker sections to 25 percent of the seats in unaided school, no subsidy should be given.

4. “Special” schools like Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, Sainik Schools, etc. should be treated on par with other Government/aided schools.

5. Teacher-pupil ratio should be brought to appropriate levels; qualified teachers should be appointed and periodical training given to them, adequate infrastructure should be provided in every school to ensure quality of education imparted and mid-day meal should be extended to all school students.

6. The needs of differently abled children should be fully taken care of.

7. The achievement of relevant learning outcomes via pedagogical support, teaching aids, curriculum changes, remedial classes and other such mechanisms through the adoption of suitable legislative measure should be ensured.

8. There should be strong social monitoring mechanism in every school involving parents and the local community as well.

For more articles.

• THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION – Savera