India promises education for all

Sixty-three years after it got independence from British rule, India has enforced a historic Right to Education (RTE) law that promises literacy for millions of children in this vast and diverse country.

Through this act India has guaranteed free and compulsory education to all children of the 6-14 age group. An estimated 200 million children will have access to education at least up to Class 8.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh dedicated the landmark measure to the nation, saying \”I was born to a family of modest means. In my childhood, I had to walk a long distance to go to school . I read under the dim light of a kerosene lamp. I am what I am because of education\”.

\”Our government comes before you to pledge all our children elementary education. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act enacted by parliament in August 2009 comes into force today (April 1, 2010),\” the prime minister said in his address to the nation.

\”THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO EDUCATION AS INCORPORATED IN OUR CONSTITUTION THROUGH ARTI - has also become operative,\” Manmohan Singh said underlining the importance of the act and its impact a few years from now for the country to have a reinvigorated and skilled human resource. Yash Pal, a leading educationist, said: \”India got Independence in 1947 but the real freedom will come with this act liberating our kids from illiteracy.\”

\”This is great. This is marvellous. But I believe it should have come 50 years back,\” said Yash Pal. He said the government will amend the legislation in future to incorporate all students and not just the 6-14 age group.

India\’s literacy rate is currently 64 percent and the government hopes it will rise to nearly 80 percent by 2015 to be able to meet emerging challenges and will open up opportunities for that segment of the population which cannot afford or access quality education.

\”My son had dropped out due to financial reasons. I hope the government helps my nine-year-old girl get back to school,\” said Jairam Rout, a farmer in the Dhenkanal district of Orissa, when he heard about the act on radio.

Like Rout, tens of thousands of people will benefit from the act, which reserves 25 percent seats in all private schools and minority schools for those students who belong to the underprivileged section of society.

India\’s Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal, who was the key figure behind the law, called it a \”historic step to make India a knowledge superpower\”.

\”We need a critical mass of skilled manpower to sustain our economic growth and this act lays the foundation. This will lead to wealth creation through intangible asset called education,\” Sibal added.

Currently nearly 200 million kids are going to school in India in the 6-8 age group but half of them drop out before Class 8 and both the state and central governments believe that the act will stop the malaise. Nearly 8.1 million out-of-school children will get a chance of go back to schools.

The act gives free and compulsory education to all children of India in the 6-14 age group, promises that no child shall be held back, expelled, or required to pass a board examination until completion of elementary education. The act also says that a child who completes education up to Class 8 shall be awarded a certificate.

While stressing on a fixed student-teacher ratio, the landmark legislation mandates to provide quality education by imparting training to its untrained teachers and improving school infrastructure across the country. It says that school teachers will need adequate professional degree within five years or else will lose their job and that school infrastructure (where there is a problem) should be improved in three years or else recognition of the school can be cancelled.

India needs an estimated Rs.34,000 crore a year to implement the ground-breaking measure. The prime minister has assured there will be no shortage of funds. Calling upon all stakeholders to join in the national effort, Manmohan Singh said: \”Our government in partnership with state governments will ensure that financial constraints do not have adverse impact in the implementation of Right to Education Act.\”

\”I want every Indian child to dream and be touched by the light to education. I want every Indian to dream of a better future.\”