RTE ACT, 2009 AND SSA FRAMEWORK: ATTEMPT FOR UEE IN ODISHA

Sankar Prasad Mohanty Assistant Professor

Kalpanarani Dash, M.Phil Scholar

Department of Education Ravenshaw University

BACKGROUND

• In ancient time Gurukulas or Ashrams was not open to all. People from lower castes, and so-called ‘Shudras’ (untouchables), in particular, were barred from receiving education

• Even in British period education was not for Indian Masses

• Foundation stone laid by Hunter Commission (1882) : recommended that schools should be open to all castes and classes due to efforts of Dadabhai Naoroji and Jyothiba Phule

BACKGROUND…..

• The first law on compulsory education was introduced by the State of Baroda in 1906. This law provided for compulsory education for boys and girls in the age groups of 7–12 years and 7–10 years respectively

• The word ‘right’ in the context of elementary education by Rabindranath Tagore in his letter to the International League for the Rational Education of Children in 1908

BACKGROUND…..

• Mahatma Gandhi gave a magnificent call for universal education in 1937 with concept of Basic Education

• Education was included in the Directive Principles of State Policy, in the Constitution of India in 1950

• Article 45 : Stating for free and compulsory education for all children until they complete the age of 14 years (1950)

BACKGROUND……

• Kothari Commission(1964) with concept of common school system

• NPE (1968 & 1986) recommended for equalization of educational opportunity and common school system

• The Supreme Court Judgment (1993) to make Education as Fundamental Right

• 86th Constitutional Amendment (2002) was passed by Parliament and Article 21A

BACKGROUND……

• August 2009, Parliament passed the historic Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009

• Came into effect from April 1, 2010• Free and compulsory education to all children

of the age of 6 to 14 years

• Bordia Committee (2010): Implementation of RTE Act and Resultant Revamp of SSA

WHAT DOES RtE PROVIDE?

• Elementary Education • Free• Compulsory• Quality norms for all schools• Qualification and working norms for Teachers• Curriculum in consonance with Constitutional Values• Oppression Free students’ evaluation system• Participation of civil society in the management of

schools• Accountability of teachers to parents, community

WHAT DOES RtE PROVIDE?

• Reservation (25%) for children from weaker sections in private schools

• Protection of children from labour, marriage, exploitation, discrimination, abuse, violence and neglect

• National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and State Commissions for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCRs): Monitor the implementation of the right.

Implementation of RTE Act and Resultant Revamp of SSA: Bordia committee (2010)

• Principles:

• Holistic view of education: curriculum, teacher education, educational planning and management as interpreted in NCF, 2005

• Equity: Creating the condition so that disadvantaged, SC, ST, Minority and other section of the society can avail equal opportunity

Implementation of RTE Act and Resultant Revamp of SSA: Bordia committee (2010)

• Access: ensuring schools in specified distance, understanding educational needs and predicaments of the excluded sections viz; Sc, ST, Minority, Girls etc.

• Moral compulsion: imposed on parents, teachers, educational administrators and other stakeholders

• Gender concern: Not only enabling girls to keep pace with boys but also to bring about a basic change in the status of women

IMPLEMENTING RTE ACT IN ODISHA• Odisha-2nd state after Sikkim to notify the RCFCE

Rules, 2010• Prohibition of corporal punishment in Schools-Sept

23, 2010• Prohibition of screening procedures on 4thy Nov,

2010• Guidelines for Composition and functions of SMCs in

Elementary Schools on 11th Jan, 2011

• RtE Cell has been functioning from OPEPA office and works in close association with all the Directorates of the School and Mass Education Department

IMPLEMENTING RTE ACT IN ODISHA

• Quality School package: across 30 districts ; to emerge as quality schools -infrastructure, curricular and co-curricular components etc.

• Sanitation and Safe Drinking Water: 93% rural schools have safe drinking water and 84 % of rural schools have common toilets

• Government-Civil Societies partnership: consultation with civil society was held on 20th Dec, 2010. Guidance note issued to all districts on taking support from civil society organization in implementing RTE at the district level.

IMPLEMENTING RTE ACT IN ODISHA

• Teachers’ Training: in-service training programme (Samarthya), both content & theme- based modules (NCF; RtE; and CCE); 1,37,836 teachers received training for 20 days out of the targeted 1, 72,892

• Grievance Redressal Cell and School Students’ Helpline: toll-free Helpline no. GRC - hearing, enquiry, follow-up and redressal of cases from teachers, officers, parents and children.

IMPLEMENTING RTE ACT IN ODISHA

• Monitoring Mechanism: ‘Samiksha’ w.e.f Nov-2010; Indicators under Samiksha -Environment, Curricular Programmes and Co-Curricular Programmes, School-Community Linkage, School Management.

• Documentation of RtE Initiatives: success stories under School students’ helpline documented in booklet ‘sampark’; all initiatives of S&ME Department in implementation of RTE Act is documented in booklet ‘Sambhav’.

THANK YOU ALL

S.P.Mohanty&

Kalpanarani Dash