RTE has been quite a buzz among the eminent politicians, policymakers, social workers, educationists, etc. The newspaper columns are all full of Right To Education articles, the draft, changes, criticism, lack of implementation, new norms, etc. Today, at a small conference held at International TERI center in Bengaluru, i got a chance to see and learn things on a more macro perspective. There were these eminent policymakers, elite well read audience who kind of debated on the new buzzing phrase " RTE".
As per article 21 of the constitution, every human being is entitled to right to life and this article itself self implies others like Right to Good Health, Right to Water and Sanitation and Right to Education. The RTE says a lot on what should be done and what should not be done and am very sure is one of the best steps taken to put things in place. But the major challenge lies in the implementation level, how well the officials take it and how effectively they carry out the responsibilities that they have been bestowed with. It was surprising to hear from people around today, especially a parent and a self proclaimed elite educationist, " Why should i send my child in a government school where the people from backward strata are given the same importance or where these poor society kids study? Why would i compromise on that when i can afford to pay high fees and give my child a better education in a private school? This comment actually took me by surprise and kind of left me amazed on the thought prevailing in the city among our own "Elite" class. But this is actually true. But when i though deep i realized this is true. No upper class individual would like her child playing with the kids of her servant. This discrimination persisted, persists and would always prevail in the society id things carry on in the same way.
Caste discrimination lies and is slowly infused in the child's mind. For RTE major challenge lies in the transformation that needs to be done to the people's mindset. If we look at the model of Kendriya Vidyalaya, the crowd is heterogeneous in nature, children from all strata of society study there and the fees is nominal. Come on whats the harm in studying with that 25%? Whether education would benefit much to these 25% or not is not sure but the child would learn alot if he gets to interact with heterogeneous group. Allow your kids to interact with one and all. Do not sow the seeds of "discrimination" at source. Children are always raw, they would learn what is being taught to them, see things the way that is shown to them, but if parents carry this thing in mind then surely the child would discriminate and here we cannot blame the child at all for his attitude towards things as he was nurtured that way.
Government allocates Rs. 12000 for every kid under RTE and is looking to expand the "Free and compulsory Education" agenda. But one of the sad part is, unlike Right to Information, RTE is being treated like a scheme when it is not a scheme but state's obligation. Just allocating money, ensuring the students get enrolled in schools, is just not the work done enough. Officials should stop treating this as a Scheme and start taking their responsibilities more seriously without much depending on the funds being allocated by the state. This issue should be taken up as it is the benefit of our own children as they would be future leaders and the face of tomorrow. How well would be state be run or how high a GDP can an economy achieve without the bunch of educated and learned lot? Teach one, teach all as education is the right of all and not just few elites.
Hope the RTE is implemented well and every kid gets to live their dreams without fearing the fact that they do not own the so called precious thing "Money".
As per article 21 of the constitution, every human being is entitled to right to life and this article itself self implies others like Right to Good Health, Right to Water and Sanitation and Right to Education. The RTE says a lot on what should be done and what should not be done and am very sure is one of the best steps taken to put things in place. But the major challenge lies in the implementation level, how well the officials take it and how effectively they carry out the responsibilities that they have been bestowed with. It was surprising to hear from people around today, especially a parent and a self proclaimed elite educationist, " Why should i send my child in a government school where the people from backward strata are given the same importance or where these poor society kids study? Why would i compromise on that when i can afford to pay high fees and give my child a better education in a private school? This comment actually took me by surprise and kind of left me amazed on the thought prevailing in the city among our own "Elite" class. But this is actually true. But when i though deep i realized this is true. No upper class individual would like her child playing with the kids of her servant. This discrimination persisted, persists and would always prevail in the society id things carry on in the same way.
Caste discrimination lies and is slowly infused in the child's mind. For RTE major challenge lies in the transformation that needs to be done to the people's mindset. If we look at the model of Kendriya Vidyalaya, the crowd is heterogeneous in nature, children from all strata of society study there and the fees is nominal. Come on whats the harm in studying with that 25%? Whether education would benefit much to these 25% or not is not sure but the child would learn alot if he gets to interact with heterogeneous group. Allow your kids to interact with one and all. Do not sow the seeds of "discrimination" at source. Children are always raw, they would learn what is being taught to them, see things the way that is shown to them, but if parents carry this thing in mind then surely the child would discriminate and here we cannot blame the child at all for his attitude towards things as he was nurtured that way.
Government allocates Rs. 12000 for every kid under RTE and is looking to expand the "Free and compulsory Education" agenda. But one of the sad part is, unlike Right to Information, RTE is being treated like a scheme when it is not a scheme but state's obligation. Just allocating money, ensuring the students get enrolled in schools, is just not the work done enough. Officials should stop treating this as a Scheme and start taking their responsibilities more seriously without much depending on the funds being allocated by the state. This issue should be taken up as it is the benefit of our own children as they would be future leaders and the face of tomorrow. How well would be state be run or how high a GDP can an economy achieve without the bunch of educated and learned lot? Teach one, teach all as education is the right of all and not just few elites.
Hope the RTE is implemented well and every kid gets to live their dreams without fearing the fact that they do not own the so called precious thing "Money".
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