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Centre introduces Bill in LS to tweak 'no detention policy' under the RTE Act
The Centre on Friday introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha to amend the right to education (RTE) Act so that the States can introduce annual examinations for the Classes V and VIII in schools and hold back students in the same class who fail to pass even after being given a second chance.
The Union Cabinet recently approved the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry's proposal to tweak the 'non-detention' policy stipulated under the RTE Act.
The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Second Amendment) Bill, 2017 was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Minister of State for HRD Upendra Kushwaha for its consideration and passage on the last day of the Parliament Session.
Parliament Session was adjourned sine die on Friday. The RTE Act provides for free and compulsory education to all children of the age of six to fourteen years. Section 16 of the Act provides that no child admitted to a school shall be held back in any class or expelled from the school till the completion of elementary education.
This provision was made in the Act because examinations were “often used for eliminating children who obtain poor marks,” which compelled children either to repeat the same grade or leave the school altogether, the Government stated in the aims and objectives of the amendment Bill.
In recent years, however, the States and Union Territories have been raising the issue of adverse effect on the learning levels of children as Section 16 does not allow holding back of children in any class till the completion of elementary education.
“Therefore, in order to improve the learning outcomes in the elementary classes and after wide deliberations with all the stakeholders, it is proposed to substitute Section 16 so as to empower the appropriate Government to take a decision as to whether to hold back a child in the fifth class or in the eighth class or in both classes, or not to hold back in any class, till the completion of elementary education,” Government said.
The Union Cabinet recently approved the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry's proposal to tweak the 'non-detention' policy stipulated under the RTE Act.
The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Second Amendment) Bill, 2017 was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Minister of State for HRD Upendra Kushwaha for its consideration and passage on the last day of the Parliament Session.
Parliament Session was adjourned sine die on Friday. The RTE Act provides for free and compulsory education to all children of the age of six to fourteen years. Section 16 of the Act provides that no child admitted to a school shall be held back in any class or expelled from the school till the completion of elementary education.
This provision was made in the Act because examinations were “often used for eliminating children who obtain poor marks,” which compelled children either to repeat the same grade or leave the school altogether, the Government stated in the aims and objectives of the amendment Bill.
In recent years, however, the States and Union Territories have been raising the issue of adverse effect on the learning levels of children as Section 16 does not allow holding back of children in any class till the completion of elementary education.
“Therefore, in order to improve the learning outcomes in the elementary classes and after wide deliberations with all the stakeholders, it is proposed to substitute Section 16 so as to empower the appropriate Government to take a decision as to whether to hold back a child in the fifth class or in the eighth class or in both classes, or not to hold back in any class, till the completion of elementary education,” Government said.
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(Published 11 August 2017, 14:45 IST)
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