While the nation seems to be receiving the various ACTs with loads of enthusiasm there still seem to be some questions that are yet unanswered. However, it is definitely good that amendments are being made. After all the face of India is fast changing and so are its views.
In the case of the Right To Education Act, on one hand, it is good that education will be a Fundamental Right for children between 6-14 years of age. It is even better that there will not be any discrimination while enrolling students into schools (govt and private). At the same time, some seats will be reserved in private schools for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.The standards for all schools including qualification of teachers will be detailed. And my favourite part: the Act aims to have a standardized national curriculum. That way all the students from all states will have equal opportunities and can compete truly – shoulder to shoulder! Aal iz well till here…
Let us flip and look at the other side of the coin…
First of all, violation of any clause of the Act can be taken up in court by any Citizen! Would that mean any parent, teacher or anybody for that matter can sue the school/teacher etc. if he/she feels that the education of a child is not proper?
Secondly, if the Act is to be a success there needs to be ample number of schools distributed widely in the country? How many years will this take..? another 60 years?
Thirdly, it has been observed that children from the interiors and backward classes of the society drop out of formal schools in large numbers. Why? Perhaps because they feel that what they teach in schools are not of any use to them. What will they do by learning the alphas and betas when they do not get to sleep with a full meal? It is for this that non formal schools were introduced…but RTE wants all children between 6-14 years to attend formal schools.
We will be taking away meaningful education from their hands with a lame promise of a school thats (as of now) is non existent and of any use to them!
Before we leap out with open hands to hug all thats new and glossy, let us first look into all its aspects…and be sure that we won’t be treading murky waters…
The writer is a correspondent of Youth Ki Awaaz