The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act,popularly called the Right to Education (RTE) Act,came under heavy fire from educationists on Friday at an international consultation. At the consultation on Human Development in India: Emerging Issues and Policy Perspectives,the Act was criticised primarily for setting an age limit of six to 14 years for beneficiaries. There is very convincing evidence that if children are not cared for in the early years,it may be too late. This is because of the effects on nourishment,and in turn,on the cognitive capabilities of children, Vice-Chancellor of National University of Educational Planning and Administration R Govinda said. He was presenting a paper titled Literacy and Elementary Education in India: Emerging Issues and Policy Paradigms at a panel discussion on education. The Education department has unfortunately washed its hands of early childhood care. They think it should be done by another department, Govinda said. I have never really understood why the RTE Act covers only the age group of 6 to 14. More than 50 per cent of five-year-olds are enrolled in regular schools. In Tamil Nadu,the official age of enrollment is four years eleven months, Rukmini Banerji of Delhi-based Pratham pointed out. We have an official system that actually brings children to school well before six. None of the plans or policy documents seems to consider that. Vimala Ramachandran of ERU Consultant Pvt Ltd said instead of worrying too much over alarming dropout rates,educationists and policymakers should ask why schools are not functioning. Shifting the blame on to parents and students is absolutely incorrect. There is great demand for education even among the poorest of the poor. If we are able to provide functioning schools,students will come to school, she said. She went on to add that a guarantee of education up to the age of 18 will act as a suction pump,motivating students to complete secondary and higher secondary education. Panellists also shared their concern regarding the poor quality of teachers in the backdrop of an urgent need of about 12 lakh new primary teachers. Nearly half of these posts will be created with the notificatiaon of the RTE Act,which stipulates a teacher-student ratio of 30:1,higher than Sarva Shiksha Abhiyans 40:1.
