By : Akshey Kumar : An innocent child, in his very first exposure to the world outside his home, finds himself surrounded with a disturbing variety of educational institutions of various hues- ranging from the elite private schools to the English model schools running in congested buildings, or Model Government schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas and the ‘tat-patti’ schools run by the local government bodies in urban and rural areas. Learning becomes a pain for the child and a burden for his family. Forces of discrimination, divisiveness and deprivation start haunting the impregnable minds of the young children and they become a potential prey to the nefarious designs of the anti-social elements.
Thankfully, the Right to Education bill, recently cleared by the Union Cabinet, seeks to alter the situation in a positive direction. Although the 86th Constitutional Amendment Bill in 2002 had provided for the children, in the age group of 6 to 14 years, the fundamental right to free and compulsory education at the elementary level but the logistics to achieve this goal were not clear.
The Right to Education Bill, originally conceived in 2005 was redrafted in February this year and now due for tabling in Parliament, comes out with a clearly delineated road-map to achieve this objective. What is more important, is that it also paves the way for the much needed reforms in our elementary education system, as it comes out with the concept of neighbourhood schools and brings even the privately run unaided schools within the ambit of the Bill. It is not surprising, therefore, that the proposed bill had to undergo a long process of scrutiny, including inviting suggestions and comments from the states, and finally being referred to a Group of Ministers to streamline its various provisions and fine-tuning it before the Cabinet’s nod. The Bill is slated to be tabled in Parliament in December this year.
The Neighbourhood School
In a bid to guarantee free and compulsory elementary education to every child, the Bill has mooted the concept of neighbourhood schools. It provided that every child who has attained the age of 6 years shall have the right to participate in full time elementary education, be admitted to a neighbourhood school and be provided free and compulsory education in such school, The neighbourhood shall be determined in relation to the residence of the child on the basis of proof of residence provided in such manner as may be prescribed.
Onus on Schools
While fixing the responsibility of schools to provide free and compulsory education, the bill states that all government schools (except schools of specified categories) and fully aided schools will provide free and compulsory education to all admitted children, while the Aided schools to at least such proportion of their admitted children as its annual recurring governmental aid bears to its annual recurring expenses subject to a minimum of 25 per cent. So far as the unaided schools, including the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) and International Baccalaureate (IB) schools are concerned, these would be required to admit at least 25% students in class I, from amongst children belonging to weaker sections randomly selected by the school in a transparent and previously notified manner, and for the continued education of such children in the School thereafter till the completion of elementary education or till they seek transfer from the school, whichever is earlier.
The bill also provides that free seats in any school, shall be offered by the school, first to eligible children for whom it is a neighbourhood school, and shall be offered to other eligible children only to the extent of vacancies remaining thereafter. For the students so admitted for free education, the government will reimburse to the school at a rate equal to the per child expenditure in state schools/fully aided schools and state funded preschools, or the actual amount charged per student by such school, whichever is less.
Improving Standards for Education
A significant aspect of the Right to Education Bill is its stress on setting minimum standards for both public and private schools so that the quality of education improves throughout the country and the inequities prevalent at present are done away with. The pupil- teacher ratio has been kept at 40:1. It also provides for permanent jobs for teachers both in private and government schools and seeks to do away with the present practice of appointing teachers on contract basis as is the prevalent practice in private schools. Teachers will also not be allowed to do private tuitions. It also provides that the teachers’ vacancies should not exceed more than 10% of the total strength of the teachers in the school.
Role of Parents
Parents have been given an important role in the management of schools. Every school will have a school management committee and 75% of its members will be drawn from among the parents/guardians of the children. Rest 25% may be from among teachers, local community members and others. These committees would monitor and oversee the working of the school , manage its assets and ensure quality of education. It shall also be the responsibility of the parents to send their children of 6 years and above to their neighbourhood school.
A New Kind of Partnership
The bill thus provides for a unique partnership between the Central and the State Governments on the one side and between the public and the private sector as well as the community on the other side, in administering our elementary education system. The Act, once implemented, would not only provide for an elementary education system of better quality and egalitarian in approach, but also save the children from long-distance traveling and thereby suffering from all sorts of hazards for reaching their schools. It would also save the public exchequer and the society at large from the high cost of fuel, transport congestion and energy which is otherwise wasted in providing transport for the school going children.
It is hoped that the bill, when introduced in the Parliament, will have a smooth passage and we shall be able to witness a great deal of cooperation among the Union and State governments as well as all the other stakeholders to make the much needed beginning which is so crucial for our future generations for infusing new strengths in our human resources. But the real challenge would lie in implementing it, given the political and social complexities of our country. There should, however be no reason to be pessimistic. Let us hope that all the stake holders including the Union and the State governments, the parents, teachers, political parties, educationists and even the private non-aided schools would not only rise to the occasion but also will leave no stone unturned in helping the implementation of the Right to Information Bill in its true letter and spirit.
If this happens, it will be a fitting tribute to the memory of the first Union Education Minister of Independent India, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, who had pioneered the cause of the free universal elementary education to all the children and had also set the pace for all-round educational development of the country after Independence. It is a happy coincidence that the Government has also decided to observe 11th November every year as the National Education Day. It was on this day in 1888, that the Maulana was born. (PIB Features)