Skip to main content

Reliance on CSR, philandhropic funds 'wouldn't help' raise educational standards

By A Representative
Addressing media in Delhi, Ambarish Rai, national convener of the Right to Education (RTE) Forum, commenting on the draft New Education Policy (NEP), has regretted “poor implementation of the RTE Act, 2009 despite nearly 10 years of its enforcement.” He said, public investment on education has been going down, and should immediately be “reversed” to at least 6% of GDP.
Welcoming the draft NEP, he said, inclusion of 3-18 years in the RTE Act “has been our long-standing demand”, but expressed disappointment over “increasing privatisation of education”, even as objecting to sharp reliance on corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds and philanthropic institutions.
Prof Muchkund Dubey, former chief secretary and president, Council for Social Development, said, while “elementary education is now a fundamental right”, increasing reliance of volunteers through programmes like Remedial Instructional Aids Programme (RIAP) and National Tutoring Programme (NTP) “will lead to informalisation of education.” He added, there should be reliance on trained qualified teachers as enshrined in the RTE Act, 2009.
Shatrughan Prasad Singh, Ex MP, general secretary, Bihar Madhyamik Shikshak Sangh and All India Secondary Teachers’ Federation, said the government should ensure equitable and qualitative education for all children, adding, oosening of RTE Act norms will “further widen the gaps between the haves and have-nots.
Rampal Singh, president, All India Primary Teachers’ Association, said that nearly 11 lakh teachers’ posts were lying vacant in the country and these “need to filled up”, adding, “There is no mention of the Common School System in the entire policy document.”
Sumitra Mishra of the Alliance from Right to Early Childhood Development saod that the policy document talks about learning crisis “but fails to realise that this is because of systemic failure and not the failure of children.” 
The media conference was organized by RTE Forum, a civil rights organization.

Comments

Post a Comment

NOTE: Hateful, abusive comments won't be published. -- Editor

TRENDING

Bihar’s land at ₹1 per acre for Adani sparks outrage, NAPM calls it crony capitalism

By A Representative   The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) has strongly condemned the Bihar government’s decision to lease 1,050 acres of land in Pirpainti, Bhagalpur district, to Adani Power for a 2,400 MW coal-based thermal power project. 
Post a Comment
»

Crowdfunding, a way to earn fast buck on the net, catches up among IT savvy Gujarati middle class youth

By Satyakam Mehta Crowdfunding, an internet-based practice of collecting money for small projects or ventures by raising small amounts from large number of individuals, is picking up as a craze in Gujarat’s penny-wise IT savvy youngsters. While many consider it as a way to earn a fast buck, one just needs to upload a project idea on a crowdfunding website, explain its concept, specify the funding you require, and just wait for individuals to transfer money to your bank account.
Post a Comment
»

Gharapuri's discoveries: India finds a maritime past, ASI an app

By Gajanan Khergamker  The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has once again demonstrated an extraordinary talent for mistaking administrative housekeeping for institutional achievement. At the very moment excavations at Gharapuri are yielding evidence that could fundamentally reshape our understanding of India's maritime past, the institution has chosen to celebrate the rollout of QR-enabled audio guides and GPS-supported navigation at its monuments. The contrast could not be starker. 
Post a Comment
»