Saturday, April 3, 2010

Right to education act-A boon for out of school children-an analysis.




Right to education is the fundamental right of all citizens in India. India has taken a big step forward bimplementin Right to education as fundamental right of all citizens. It will give a much needed push to Universalisation of elementary education and Compulsory primary education which becomes foundation for further expansion of secondary and higher stages of education in the future.

Features of RTE Act -2009.

1. It gives every child the right to a quality elementary education.

2. All children aged 6-14 shall have the right to free and compulsory primary education at a neighborhood school.

3. No direct or indirect fees (uniforms,text books,mid-day meals,transportation,etc)need be borne by the child or parents to obtain primary education.

4. The government will provide schooling free of cost until a child’s primary education is completed.

5. All schools must comply with certain infrastructure & teacher norms. Two trained teachers will be provided for every 60 students at the primary level.

6. School committee or local authority will identify children above six & admit them in appropriate classes.

7. School shall constitute school management committees comprising local officials, parents, guardians & teachers.

RTE mandates inclusion of 50% of women & parents of children from disadvantage groups in SMC’S .

The SMCs will monitor the utilization of government grants & the school environment.

8. Finance commission has provided Rs.25,000 crores to state to implement the law. In next 5 years Rs. 1.71lakh crores will be required to implement the act.

9. The new act mandates that even private educational institutes have to reserve 25% seats for children from weaker sections.

10. RTE law will benefit close to one crore children not attending school. Almost 92 lakh children are out of school.

11. The state governments will undertake household serveys and neighborhood school mapping to ensure that all children are sent to school .

12. state governments and local bodies will have to establish primary schools within 1 km of the neighborhood. For children of class 6th to 8th the school should be within 3 km of the neighborhood. In the absence of a school in a small hamlets , the state government shall make adequate arrangement like free transport and residential facilities .

13. With the regard to the number of teachers concerned , currently more than 5.23 lakh teacher posts are vacant. To bring the teacher-pupil ratio to 30:1 as prescribed by the RTE act .5.1 lakh additional teachers are required .

Addressing the nation, the prime minister Manmohan Singh gave his own example to convey how education can ensure that no child stops dreaming .

PM said ,”I was born to a family of modest means . In my childhood I had to walk a long distance to go to school .I read under the dim light of a kerosene lamp. I am what I am today because of education.”

See for more information www.timesofindia.com

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