June 10, 2015, Lucknow, RTE Forum: The poor implementation of the Right to Education for the last five years has been a major concern for civil society representatives, teachers union members, educationists and rights based activists. The two day meeting of the National Council of RTE Forum which was held in Lucknow on 9-10th June voiced the same concern.
Representatives and the convenors of RTE Forum from 19 state, along with several organisations working for equitable, quality education for all children, had gathered in the meeting to discuss the challenges before the school education and also to resolve a way forward. Introducing the current scenario of school education Mr. Ambarish Rai, National Convener, RTE Forum, stated that it is the government’s failure to fulfill the PTR norms and other provisions of the Act within the stipulated time-line of March 2015. Quoting the 5th Stocktaking Convention Report of RTE Forum, he said that 8.32% schools are still single-teacher schools while 1.2 million teacher’s posts are vacant across the country, after 5 years of the Act’s enactment. Without having qualified teachers and basic services in place, quality of the education can never be improved in government schools.
The year 2015, marked the end of the final deadline for the complete implementation of all the provisions of the RTE Act, 2009- especially those pertaining to the recruitment and regularization of the teachers and teacher-training. However, the situation continues to remain grim. Mr. Rai stated that there can be no development without strengthening a public system of education; and agendas of Skill India, Swachch Bharat and Make in India are bound to fail if priority is not given to an educated India. Pointing towards the recent budgetary cuts in SarvaShikshaAbhiyan (from Rs. 27, 635crore to Rs. 22, 000 crore), MDM (13215 cr to 9236 cr), RMSA (from 5000 to 3565 cr), ICDS(from 18000 to 8000 cr) and other educational priorities, he said that the central government is talking about the reforms in education sector but lacks a holistic vision towards Right to Education and its implementation. Massive cuts in the budget clearly indicate that underprivileged sections of the society including Dalits, Adivasi and other disadvantaged sections and government schools are not in the priority of the governments.
Representatives from various states shared the ground status of the implementation of the RTE Act in their area and highlighted key concerns like poor infrastructure, unavailability of regular and trained teachers, involvement of teachers in non-academic works, absence of an elected and empowered SMCs in schools and deteriorating teaching-learning space in the government schools- leading to the declining quality of education. Lacking mother tongue education and learning in local languages have also been identified as an important issue for tribal and migrant children.
The issue of closure of over 1 lakh government schools in the country in last five years presents a very depressing scenario for the elementary education. Some of the states where school closures have taken place are – Rajasthan (17,529), Gujarat (8,500), Andhra Pradesh (4,500), Telangana (4,700), Uttrakhand (1200) and Odisha (5000). Closure of government schools will further make dalit, tribal and other marginalized section further marginalized as education is not only a right but an enabling right as well.
It was stated that despite 6 million children who continue to remain out of school, the government is shutting down schools instead of opening new ones and appointing teachers and improving services at school level. Delegates raised their voice on growing commercialization and privatization of school education during the consultation. It was stated that mushrooming unrecognized, low-cost private schools are causing further segregation of the society and contradicting the constitutional values of ensuring equity and equal opportunities.
The new education policy that is being formulated by the government was thoroughly debated by the member, who expressed their concern over the manner in which the new policy is being formulated. On the central government’s initiative for new education policy ,it was stated that it is essential that the new policy reiterates the constitutional values and carry forward the vision of previous education policies. The proposed amendments of certain provisions of the RTE Act like the no- detention clause was also discussed and it was underlined that any move to review the Act would be regressive and harm the fundamental objectives of the Act.
There was a discussion with leaders of other movements and networks in Uttar Pradesh on the emerging challenges before the education system. Expressing solidarity on the issue of equitable quality education for all children, the national council resolved to build a mass movement across the country to realise the Act and strengthen the Public System of School Education. The RTE Forum launched a book named Transforming School Education: Role of Teachers in the meeting during the inaugural session of the event.
Press Release
