Education Bill finally cleared

1st November, 2008 : In a major boost to education sector, the Union Cabinet has cleared the long-pending Right to Education Bill which promises free and compulsory education for children between 6 and 14.

"The Bill has been considered at several levels by the Group of Ministers (GoM). The Cabinet has approved the text of the Bill," Finance Minister P Chidambaram told reporters in Delhi about the decision of the Cabinet which met on Friday night.

Observing that it was an important promise to the children as education would become a fundamental right, he said that it would be legally enforceable duty of the Centre and the states to provide free and compulsory education.

Chidambaram said that the HRD Ministry would release the text of the Bill after consulting the Election Commission in view of the assembly polls in some states.

The GoM, entrusted with the task of scrutinising the Bill, had cleared the draft legislation early this month without diluting the content including some of the contentious provisions like 25 per cent reservation in private schools for disadvantaged children from the neighbourhood at the entry level.

Other key provisions in the Bill are no donation or capitation or interviewing the child or parents as part of a screening procedure.

The Right to Education Bill is the enabling legislation to notify the 86th Constitutional amendment, which gives every child between the age of 6 and 14 years the right to free and compulsory education. It was passed by Parliament in December 2002.

source:

http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Union-Cabinet-clears-Right-to-Education-Bill/380176/

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It was only in 2002 that education was made a fundamental right in the 86th amendment to the Constitution. In 2004, the government in power, the NDA, drafted a Bill but lost the elections before it could be introduced. The present UPA’s model Bill was then lobbed back and forth between the Centre and the states over the matter of funding and responsibility.

Critics of the Bill question the age provision. They say children below six years and above 14 should be included. Also, the government has not addressed the issue of shortage of teachers, low skill levels of many teachers, and lack of educational infrastructure in existing schools let alone the new ones that will have to be built and equipped.

Key provisions of the Bill include:

• 25% reservation in private schools for disadvantaged children from the neighbourhood, at the entry level. The government will reimburse expenditure incurred by schools.
• No donation or capitation fee on admission.
• No interviewing the child or parents as part of the screening process.

source:

http://infochangeindia.org/200811047453/Education/News/Right-to-Education-Bill-cleared.html