New education policy 'reduces' children, teachers to consumers in a market system

By Our Representative

Participating in the civil society-sponsored online Janta Parliament, begun on August 16, Prof Shanta Sinha, former chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), a statutory body, has regretted that the Government of India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 focuses less on strengthening the Right to Education Act (RTE) Act and instead seeks to reduce students, teachers and citizens to “mere consumers making them subject to the market forces”.
Representatives of NGOs RTE Forum and Nine is Mine, along with several people’s networks like Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti (BGVS), Alliance for Right to Early Childhood Development (ARECD), held the Janta Parliament session on education, discussing issued that have emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic. They passed nine resolutions in order to implement the RTE Act.
Grassroots activists and movements along with youth leaders and children presented testimonies regarding deepening of inequalities in education during the Covid-19 crisis, even as seeking accountability of the state, at the Janta Parliament, which will end on August 19.
Ambarish Rai, national convener, RTE Forum, underlined the need for common school system, regretting, NEP 2020 “doesn’t mention it at all while it has remained a dream for the large common masses of the country since decades with the popular slogan ‘Nirdhan ho ya ho dhanwan, Sabki shiksha ek saman’.”
Farida Bano of the Indian Youth Federation said, despite youth constituting 34 per cent of the population, they are hardly consulted in policy making. Rashmi Maruvada, a disability rights activist of the Indian Youth Federation and West Bengal RTE Forum, said, problems of disabled children and youths go “mostly unheard.”
The Janta Parliament passed resolutions seeking to ensure right to education, health and nutrition of children from migrant families affected because of Covid-19 pandemic; tabling of NEP in Parliament; and extension of the RTE Act, 2009 to children aged 3 to 18 years with provision of the universal school education.
Other resolutions included the need to allocate at least 6% of GDP for education; stopping exclusion of the maginalised communities through online Instruction; explore alternative means amidst the Covid-19 crisis; steps to stop commercialization; and regulation of non-state Actors in education.

Comments

Avoidable Narmada floods: Modi birthday fete caused long wait for release of dam waters

Counterview Desk Top advocacy group, South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP), has accused the Sardar Sarovar dam operators for once again acting in an "unaccountable" manner, bringing "avoidable floods in downstream Gujarat." In a detailed analysis, SANDRP has said that the water level at the Golden Bridge in Bharuch approached the highest flood level on September 17, 2023, but these "could have been significantly lower and much less disastrous" both for the upstream and downstream areas of the dam, if the authorities had taken action earlier based on available actionable information.

Biden urged to warn Modi: US can declare India as worst religious freedom offender

By Our Representative During a Congressional Briefing held on Capitol Hill, Washington DC, Nadine Maenza, former Chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), has wondered why the Biden administration should raise issues of mass anti-minority mob violence -- particularly in Haryana and Manipur -- with Modi. Modi should be told that if such violence continues, the US will be “compelled by law” to designate India as one of the world’s worst offenders of religious freedom, she urged.

From 'Naatu-Naatu' to 'Nipah-Nipah': Dancing to the tune of western pipers?

By Dr Amitav Banerjee, MD* Some critics have commented that the ecstatic response of most Indians to the Oscar for the racy Indian song, “Naatu-Naatu” from the film, “RRR” reeks of sheer racism, insulting visuals and a colonial hangover. It was perhaps these ingredients that impressed the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, one critic says.

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.

Buddhist shrines were 'massively destroyed' by Brahmanical rulers: Historian DN Jha

Nalanda mahavihara By Our Representative Prominent historian DN Jha, an expert in India's ancient and medieval past, in his new book , "Against the Grain: Notes on Identity, Intolerance and History", in a sharp critique of "Hindutva ideologues", who look at the ancient period of Indian history as "a golden age marked by social harmony, devoid of any religious violence", has said, "Demolition and desecration of rival religious establishments, and the appropriation of their idols, was not uncommon in India before the advent of Islam".

Savarkar 'criminally betrayed' Netaji and his INA by siding with the British rulers

By Shamsul Islam* RSS-BJP rulers of India have been trying to show off as great fans of Netaji. But Indians must know what role ideological parents of today's RSS/BJP played against Netaji and Indian National Army (INA). The Hindu Mahasabha and RSS which always had prominent lawyers on their rolls made no attempt to defend the INA accused at Red Fort trials.

Asset managers hold '2.8 times more equity' in fossil fuel cos than in green investments

By Deepanwita Gita Niyogi* The world’s largest asset managers are far off track to meet the 2050 net zero commitments , a new study released by InfluenceMap , a London-based think tank working on climate change and sustainability, says. Released on August 1, the Asset Managers and Climate Change 2023 report by FinanceMap, a work stream of InfluenceMap, finds that the world’s largest asset managers have not improved on their climate performance in the past two years.

Evading primary responsibility, ONGC decides to invest Rs 15,000 crore in sick subsidiary

By NS Venkataraman* It is reported that Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) will infuse about Rs 15,000 crore in ONGC Petro-additions Ltd (OPaL) as part of a financial restructuring exercise. ONGC currently holds 49.36 per cent stake in (OPaL), which operates a mega petrochemical plant at Dahej in Gujarat. GAIL (India) Ltd has 49.21 per cent interest and Gujarat State Petrochemical Corporation (GSPC) has the remaining 1.43 per cent.

'State-sanctioned terror': Stop drone attack on Adivasis, urge over 80 world academics

Counterview Desk A joint statement, “Indigenous Peoples’ Un-Freedoms and Our Academic Freedom: A Call for Solidarity”, endorsed by over 80 signatories, including international academics, activists and civil society organizations, as well as diasporic Indian academics and researchers, working with Adivasi (indigenous) communities in India, has made an urgent appeal to prevent future drone bomb attacks by the Indian state on Adivasi villages.

Sales, profits of Indian firms 'deteriorate', yet no significant increase in cost pressures

By Our Representative The Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad's (IIM-A's) latest Business Inflation Expectations Survey (BIES), a monthly exercise, has said that while cost perceptions data does not indicate significant increase of cost pressures, sales and profits of the Indian firms have deteriorated.

Search This Blog