Akshay AgrawalAIR 43 · CSE 2018 · 271 wordsTheir whole copy
Opening · a definition
The Right to Education Act, 2009 made education up to age of 14 a legal right (fundamental right).
It has the following provisions:
Body · points
(1) Free and compulsory education for children below 14 years of age.
(2) No school can deny any student education for non-payment of fees.
(3) No capitation fee to be charged.
(4) No corporal punishments to children in school and no entrance tests.
While above provisions are laudable, the act suffers from several lacunae which affect the spirit of the act:
(1) No provision for a common education system and pattern throughout the country.
(2) No regulation on management of schools and qualification of members to be on school boards.
(3) No teacher training programme and no focus on learning outcomes.
(4) No accountability norms for teachers, which results into truancy in teachers attendance in schools and actual educational attainment by the children.
(5) No mention of Sports & Recreation in the policy. Education without physical education and training is of no use.
(6) Implementation is lax and no accountability measures by the local and state government as there is no monitoring of the scheme.
With above shortcomings, the proposed amendment to the act in the form of the Amendment Bill is much needed.
The Bill contains provisions to ensure:
(1) Outcome focused education system.
(2) Students can be stopped from promotion to the next level if they are unfit for it.
(3) Lays emphasis on teachers training and increased accountability.
Close · a way forward
Way Ahead:
Education is the best weapon by which you can win the world, said Nelson Mandela. Thus, ensuring outcome-focused and strictly monitored education programme is needed.
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