JOIN USThe government of India, belatedly though, has taken a bold decision to implement the provisions of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009 throughout the country. It is indeed a great challenge not only in terms of the staggering cost involved but also in view of the need for wider participation of several stakeholders.
Execution of this novel project, like that of other projects conceived in the past, is simply impossible without the concerted and the coordinated action of a large number of governmental as well as non-governmental agencies, and the total involvement of people in our villages.
After independence, we have seen a multitude of central and state schemes drawn up for the development of our agrarian society in sectors like education, health, small industries, agriculture, communication, roads, employment, etc. But the results in general indicate that implementation of these welfare measures has been very poor and slow. Of the several reasons that could be attributed to the dismal performance, the most striking ones are the lack of coordination between the agencies responsible and a high degree of apathy and non-involvement of the target population. Therefore, all new projects should think of new and novel approaches so that the shortcomings of the past are not repeated.
Compulsory education
Let us now look at the heterogeneity of the task of accomplishing 100 per cent free and compulsory education for children of 6-14 age group. Firstly, it is the responsibility of the education departments of central and state governments to provide well designed school buildings, competent and trained teachers, relevant curriculum, useful teaching materials and aid plus other facilities like midday meal, uniforms, books, etc.
The finance departments must priorities primary education with huge allocation (an estimate of the National University for Educational Planning and Administration suggests a requirement of an amount of nearly Rs1.70 lakh crore for universalising primary education). The departments of science, technology, environment, forests and agriculture must provide appropriate inputs for curriculum development. The PWD should design school buildings with adequate provision for library, laboratory, toilets, indoor and outdoor games, staff rooms, office etc.
The departments of public health, hygiene and nutrition will have to provide the basic amenities including drinking water; the labour department should ensure that the child labour (prohibition) Act is strictly enforced so that the children of target age group attend schools without fail. The departments of social welfare and rural development must assume responsibility for bring to school children of the less privileged and backward communities. The village panchayats and the local people should be actively involved with the programme as a mission.
Besides all these, there must be an agency to oversee, collect data and to get feedback on the functioning of RTE Act, not by being confined to the air-conditioned offices of bureaucrats but being exposed to remote villages of rural India. The magnitude of the problem of effective and timely implementation warrants the establishment of a statutory autonomous body called Primary Education Development Authority (PEDA). When we have so many authorities to take care of our valuable physical and biological resources, one for primary education as an integral part of human resource development and fundamental right is certainly justifiable.
The chief minister of Uttar Pradesh was quick in writing to the PM that her state cannot afford to carry out the project. Sections of the media reacted cryptically to the CM’s submission with the observation that UP had “crores for statutes but no money for primary education.” If there is a real issue of resource crunch, the concerned authorities of Central and state governments should hold brain storming sessions to sort out the hurdles and hit upon remedial measures.
The law intends well but its true spirit on the part of those who govern could percolate only through indomitable will and deep commitment. It is not beyond the capacity of our governments to ensure that nearly one crore of our children are not deprived of their fundamental rights. As the PM rightly observed “education is the key to progress; it empowers an individual and enables a nation.” The bold step taken after eight years of 86th amendment to our constitution is both historic and vitally important. In fact, it is a major milestone in strengthening our democratic system.
(The writer is former vice-chancellor of Mysore University)