Tuesday, July 10, 2012

RTE: 95% schools don’t comply with RTE guidelines

Right to free education is a dream of every welfare state, India took
initiative in this regard by introducing RTE but it appears that it is
still a dream. Two years have been passed since the Right to Education
came into existence but its goal is still unfulfilled more than 95 per
cent of schools in the country do not comply with its guidelines, a
research by an NGO has found.

Data compiled by RTE forum with inputs from its members from across
the country points out that only one out of 10 schools in 2010-11 had
drinking water facilities, while two out of every five schools lacked
a functional toilet.

The report also shows lack of training facilities for teachers,
adversely affecting the quality of primary education in India.

Nearly 36 per cent of all sanctioned posts of teachers in the country
are lying vacant. Of this, the national capital alone accounts for
21,000 vacancies, while 1,000 posts are vacant in Odisha, RTE forum's
report says.

The guidelines under the RTE act specify that schools "established,
owned, controlled or substantially funded by the government or local
authorities" must ensure that the vacancy of teachers "shall not
exceed 10 per cent of the total sanctioned strength".

The study also found teachers in Haryana being engaged in non-teaching
activities like construction work or working as contractors in the
mid-day meal programme.

"No teacher shall be deployed for any non-educational purpose other
than the decennial population census, disaster relief duties or duties
relating to elections to the local authority or the state legislature
or parliament," according to the guidelines of the RTE act.

The data shows that the national average for pupil to teacher ratio is
worryingly high at 1:80, against the prescribed ratio of 1:30 for
primary and 1:35 for upper primary level under the act.

"There is an urgent need to mobilise people who can demand that the
government do its part in implementing the act. As a civil society
organisation, we will create awareness among people and monitor the
implementation of the act," convener of RTE forum Ambarish Rai said.

http://www.legalindia.in/rte-95-schools-dont-comply-with-rte-guidelines

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