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Right to
Education
Bill
·
On February
16, 2008 the
eight-member
committee,
chaired by
AK Rath,
Union
Secretary (Sch
Edu), set up
by GoI to
re-draft
Right to
Education
Bill, 2005
by
addressing
issues
raised by
States and
other
stakeholders,
held its
first
meeting
·
The bill is
to be
introduced
in the
budget
session of
Parliament.
·
The Bill
guarantees
free and
compulsory
education to
every child
in the 6-14
age group.
·
The
committee
has been
mandated to
revise the
draft of the
Bill,
prepared by
the
Central
Advisory
Board on
Education
(CABE)
committee,
based on the
comments
received
from the
States, and
feedback
from
stakeholders,
civil
society and
the media.
·
The major
opposition
to the Bill
is due to
the huge
financial
implications
for the
States —
education
being a
subject on
the
Concurrent
list.
·
Concerns
have also
been raised
over several
provisions
in the draft
Bill, one of
them being
ensuring
availability
of a
neighbourhood
school to
every child
within three
years of
commencement
of the Act.
·
In case of
non-availability
of a
neighbourhood
school,
the State
would have
to provide
free
transportation
to the child
to the
nearest
school or
free
residential
school
facilities.
·
The States
must also
provide
special
programmes
in a
neighbourhood
school for
non-enrolled
children in
the age
group 9-14.
·
The
responsibility
of enrolling
children as
they reach
the age of
six has been
put on the
parents/guardians,
failing
which they
have to do
compulsory
community
service.
·
Seeing the
proposed
legislation
as an
encroachment
on their
rights, the
States are
also
opposing the
National
Commission
for
Elementary
Education,
as envisaged
in the Act
that would
be a
regulatory
mechanism.
·
The Centre
is also
empowered to
develop a
national
curriculum
framework,
develop
standards
for training
and
qualification
of teachers
for
elementary
education.
·
There is
also a
provision of
reserving 25
per cent
seats in
schools for
weaker
sections,
except in
some
category of
schools.
·
The School
Management
Committees
will monitor
the working
of the
school, plan
and
facilitate
its
development
and manage
the assets.
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