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A MOCKERY OF CHILD’S RIGHT TO FREE

EDUCATION

  ‘A new chapter in education’. The Centre hailed the passing of the

Right to Education (RTE) Act as ‘a landmark moment for India’schildren.’ The prime minister declared !It is the ke" to progress for theeducation of our children and will determine the strength of ournation#. $ur education planners %owed that this Act would address the!scourge of po%ert" and underde%elopment that dogs our countr"’snew generation.

 Touching indeed. E&cept that we ha%e heard it all 'efore. hile wecannot den" that ualit" education will make India’s children ‘%i'rant*well informed and con+dent mem'ers of societ"*’ there is a certaind,- %u a'out the whole thing.

as it in /012 that we heard India’s +rst prime minister announce in a%oice choked with tears that making education accessi'le to allchildren irrespecti%e of caste* creed and economic status was thehighest priorit" in his go%ernment’s agenda3 That was 42 "ears ago. In/044* his successor echoed the same sentiments while makingelementar" education compulsor" for children aged 4 to /1 "ears. In/054* the ne&t successor de%ised a 6ational 7olic" of Education toensure primar" schooling for all of India’s unlettered kids.

 This su'-ect has 'een of great concern to successi%e go%ernments

since Independence. 8ni%ersal primar" education has 'een the mantrachanted for o%er half a centur". 9et* millions of children ha%e eludedthe go%ernment’s plans. And* among those who were dragged into thisgrand scheme of things* some more millions ha%e dropped out of school gi%ing an opportunit" for each successi%e go%ernment to renewits pledge to make them literate and draw up more plans.

 That’s 'ecause no'od" asks uestions. hat happened to the :istrict7rimar" Education 7rogramme (E:E7) that recei%ed aid from 86ICE;and other international 'odies3 hat happened to the much touted6a%oda"a

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If onl" those in charge of education* 'oth at the Centre and in thestates* rela&ed from these fren?ied acti%ities (which ma" garner %otes'ut not literac") and concentrated on long@term planning. $ureducation planners must +rst of all %isuali?e a programme that wouldmake e%er" child want to come to school. India’s children* like children

all o%er the world* do not attend school 'ecause it is theirconstitutional right. The" do not attend classes 'ecause schooling iscompulsor" and the alternati%e is incarceration in a state@run -u%enilehome.

 The" will not e%en 'e attracted if told that schooling will make themuseful citi?ens or fetch them lucrati%e -o's. The a%erage child goes toschool 'ecause he can pla" organi?ed games in a huge games +eldwith other children. e will 'e enthused if he can sit on a comforta'lechair in a 'right and air" classroom that has lots of colourful 'ooks*educational to"s and interesting learning material. A'o%e all* he will

want to come to school 'ecause there is a teacher who understandshis needs and answers his uestions patientl". A teacher who canteach without e&erting pressure on his "oung mind and who e&amineshim not to +nd out whether he is a good pupil* 'ut rather whether sheis a good teacher. as the Centre B or the state go%ernments B'othered to pro%ide children with such schools3 Education 'eing aconcurrent su'-ect* 'oth are euall" responsi'le.

here are the school 'uildings in the +rst place3 :ilapidated structureswhere hundreds of toddlers are crammed into small and ding" spaces3=chools with no drinking water facilities or toilets schools where

children are dri%en onto pu'lic spaces to pla" with no gameseuipment schools where a single 'lack'oard must cater to threeclasses schools with ill@%entilated classrooms with no furniture orlearning material schools with no teachers which is the ultimate insultto the child. Tens of thousands of rural schools are single@teacherschools. Thousands more ha%e no teachers at all.

E%en in ur'an India* there is hardl" a go%ernment or municipal schoolthat can 'oast of well euipped pla"grounds or proper classrooms withdecent furniture* or competent teachers who can deli%er the goods. eare told that thousands of teachers’ %acancies remain un+lled. And*

when the" do get +lled* the teachers are hardl" uali+ed to do thissensiti%e -o' of teaching a child 'etween 4 and /1.

In this scenario* it is nothing short of mocker" to talk of a child’s rightto free and compulsor" education.