Implement RTE Act this year, protestors demand

To urge the state government to notify the rules framed for implementing Right to Education (RTE) ACT, Shikshana Sampanmoola Kendragala Okkuta, Dakshina Kannada district, SDMC Sanchalana Samiti, and other like-minded organisations staged a protest, in front of Deputy Commissioner’s office on Monday.

Addressing the meeting, Campaign Against Child Labour district convener Renny D’Souza said that the draft of the rules are ready. However, the government has not taken any interest in notifying the rules. The rules should be notified before Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda presents the budget, so that funds can be earmarked for the implementation of the Right to Education Act in the state. To implement the RTE Act, the government should earmark at least Rs 20,000 crore, he added.

He said if rules are not notified now, then one will have to wait for another year to implement the act.

D’Souza said once the rules are notified, the government should issue guidelines on fee structure for private schools. The RTE Act provides 25 per cent reservation for the children belonging to marginalised section and poor, in private institutions. Though Commission for Protection of Child Rights has been asked to monitor the implementation of the Act, without notifying the rules they have not been able to start their work, he said.

“The lower primary schools at Gundibagilu and Sulyodi in Dakshina Kannada district have one teacher each. As per the RTE Act, there should be minimum of two teachers in a school. Though the officials state that the teacher-student ratio is 1:24, in reality it is not true in Dakshina Kannada,” he added.

He said Section 13 of the Act says that no capitation fee should be collected while enrolling a child to a primary school. Unfortunately, most of the schools collect capitation fee in the state, which is clear violation of the Act. As per the Act, few changes have to be made in the SDMC rules. However, it has not been amended so far, he said.

Shikshana Sampanmoola Kendragala Okkuta treasurer S M Aboobakkar said “Right to Education was not a fundamental right in the Indian Constitution till the Act came into existence. The Act provides for free and compulsory education only for children in the age group of 6 to 14.”

Achyutha Gatti of SDMC Sanchalana Samiti said that the government should provide free and compulsory education up to PUC.

The placards which were put up at the venue read “right of child to free and compulsory education” “Appropriate pupil-teacher ratio within six months” and so on. A memorandum was submitted to the Chief Minister and Governor through district administration on the occasion.