India's 90% schools not complying with Right to Education Act, alleges RTE Forum

By Mitra Ranjan*
The Right to Education (RTE) Forum (RTE), along with Campaign against Child Labour (CACL) and the Alliance for the Right to Early Childhood Development, has launched a nationwide campaign on right to education (RTE -- from pre-primary to higher secondary) and abolition of child labour. Addressing media at the Press Club of India, New Delhi, Dr Sayeeda Hamid, former member of Planning Commission of India and Padma Shree, an RTE manifesto, collaboratively developed by the three networks, was also released.
Dr Hamid said, “It is very tragic to see that our priorities have changed. Now education is not figured in the priority list of the governments. Focus has been shifted to trivial controversies. Now the governments want to shun the responsibility of education to private sector.”
Explaining the need and importance of the nationwide campaign, Ambarish Rai, national convener, RTE Forum, said, “As you are aware, 2019 will be a watershed year for India. The upcoming general elections next year will be an appropriate opportunity for the people of this country to demand a commitment from political parties to secure the rights of our children, particularly their education."
Rai added, "In the recent years, we have seen how things have gone from bad to worst in terms of education. If we don’t assert this time and loose this opportunity, the future generation will not forgive us. So, we are morally bound to raise this important issue with full force. It’s shameful that still more than 90% schools are not compliant with RTE norms even after eight years of the enactment of the RTE Act, 2009. ”
Earlier, welcoming the guests and participants, Ashok Kumar, national advocacy convener, CACL, said, “Child labour is a big blot on this country. Without eradicating this menace our country can’t progress further. It is imperative to ban it completely and substantially.”

On this occasion, the three networks presented a charter of demands to ensure complete implementation of the RTE Act, 2009 and extend the purview of RTE Act 2009 from birth to 18 years, asking the government to ensure at least 6 percent budget of the Gross Domestic Peoduct (GDP) for education.
Insising to stop inequality in education and move towards a 'common school system', the network demanded that the government must strengthen school management committees (SMCs) and community participation in education, asking the government to ensure total eradication of child labour up to the age of 18 years.
Seeking concrete steps for universal, quality, and equitable public education in safe and secure environment till 18 years of age from elected peoples' representatives, it wanted a ban on commercialization and privatization of education, even as bringing in a strong regulatory Act to control fee hike and strengthen the accountability of private schools and early childhood care and education (ECCE) centres.
Asking the government not to amend the “no detention policy” provisioned in section 16 of the RTE Act, 2009, the network wanted it to take concrete steps to stop mass closure of government schools in the name of merger and re-open those that have been closed.

Devika Singh of the Alliance for Right to Early Childhood Development, proposed vote of thanks.
---
*Coordinator, Media & Research, RTE Forum

Comments

Child Education in India said…

True, Some schools still do not follow the RTE Act 2009. Your concern is absolutely right, because many people are not fully aware of this act. So need to people aware this act. This blog share 10 things you need to know about the RTE Act.
10 things about the RTE Act

November 08, 2019

What's Bill Gates up to? Have 'irregularities' found in funding HPV vaccine trials faded?

By Colin Gonsalves* After having read the 72nd report of the Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee on alleged irregularities in the conduct of studies using HPV vaccines by PATH in India, it was startling to see Bill Gates bobbing his head up and down and smiling ingratiatingly on prime time television while the Prime Minister lectured him in Hindi on his plans for the country.

Muted profit margins, moderate increase in costs and sales: IIM-A survey of 1000 cos

By Our Representative The Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad’s (IIM-A's) latest Business Inflation Expectations Survey (BIES) has said that the cost perceptions data obtained from India’s business executives suggests that there is “mild increase in cost pressures”.

Govt putting India's professionals, skilled, unskilled labour 'at mercy of' big business

By Thomas Franco, Dinesh Abrol* As it is impossible to refute the report of the International Labour Organisation, Chief Economic Advisor Anantha Nageswaran recently said that the government cannot solve all social, economic problems like unemployment and social security. He blamed the youth for not acquiring enough skills to get employment. Then can’t the people ask, ‘Why do we have a government? Is it not the government’s responsibility to provide adequate employment to its citizens?’

Magnetic, stunning, Protima Bedi 'exposed' malice of sexual repression in society

By Harsh Thakor* Protima Bedi was born to a baniya businessman and a Bengali mother as Protima Gupta in Delhi in 1949. Her father was a small-time trader, who was thrown out of his family for marrying a dark Bengali women. The theme of her early life was to rebel against traditional bondage. It was extraordinary how Protima underwent a metamorphosis from a conventional convent-educated girl into a freak. On October 12th was her 75th birthday; earlier this year, on August 18th it was her 25th death anniversary.

Displaced from Bangladesh, Buddhist, Hindu groups without citizenship in Arunachal

By Sharma Lohit Buddhist Chakma and Hindu Hajongs were settled in the 1960s in parts of Changlang and Papum Pare district of Arunachal Pradesh after they had fled Chittagong Hill Tracts of present Bangladesh following an ethnic clash and a dam disaster. Their original population was around 5,000, but at present, it is said to be close to one lakh.

Anti-Rupala Rajputs 'have no support' of numerically strong Kshatriya communities

By Rajiv Shah Personally, I have no love lost for Purshottam Rupala, though I have known him ever since I was posted as the Times of India representative in Gandhinagar in 1997, from where I was supposed to do political reporting. In news after he made the statement that 'maharajas' succumbed to foreign rulers, including the British, and even married off their daughters them, there have been large Rajput rallies against him for “insulting” the community.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah* The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

IMA vs Ramdev: Why what's good or bad for goose should be good or bad for gander

By Dr Amitav Banerjee, MD* Baba Ramdev and his associate Balkrishna faced the wrath of the Supreme Court for their propaganda about their Ayurvedic products and belittling mainstream medicine. Baba Ramdev had to apologize in court. His apology was not accepted and he may face the contempt of court with harsher punishment. The Supreme Court acted on a public interest litigation (PIL) moved by the Indian Medical Association (IMA).

Youth as game changers in Lok Sabha polls? Young voter registration 'is so very low'

By Dr Mansee Bal Bhargava* Young voters will be the game changers in 2024. Do they realise this? Does it matter to them? If it does, what they should/must vote for? India’s population of nearly 1.3 billion has about one-fifth 19.1% as youth. With 66% of its population (808 million) below the age of 35, India has the world's largest youth population. Among them, less than 40% of those who turned 18 or 19 have registered themselves for 2024 election. According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), just above 1.8 crore new voters (18-and 19-year-olds) are on the electoral rolls/registration out of the total projected 4.9 crore new voters in this age group.

'Flawed' argument: Gandhi had minimal role, naval mutinies alone led to Independence

Counterview Desk Reacting to a Counterview story , "Rewiring history? Bose, not Gandhi, was real Father of Nation: British PM Attlee 'cited'" (January 26, 2016), an avid reader has forwarded reaction in the form of a link , which carries the article "Did Atlee say Gandhi had minimal role in Independence? #FactCheck", published in the site satyagrahis.in. The satyagraha.in article seeks to debunk the view, reported in the Counterview story, taken by retired army officer GD Bakshi in his book, “Bose: An Indian Samurai”, which claims that Gandhiji had a minimal role to play in India's freedom struggle, and that it was Netaji who played the crucial role. We reproduce the satyagraha.in article here. Text: Nowadays it is said by many MK Gandhi critics that Clement Atlee made a statement in which he said Gandhi has ‘minimal’ role in India's independence and gave credit to naval mutinies and with this statement, they concluded the whole freedom struggle.

Search This Blog