2 yrs after RTE,dropouts fall but shortage of teachers

Infrastructure facilities available in schools remain almost the same,while there is still need to hire more and better qualified teachers.

The RTE Act came into effect on April 1,2010,and promises free and compulsory education to all between the ages of six and 14. Releasing a review of the implementation of the Act by the Union Human Resource Development Ministry here today,Kapil Sibal said that while there was overall improvement in enrollment indicators,a 10-point agenda devised by his ministry needs to be implemented to see visible changes. “The effects of the RTE Act will only be felt once these are implemented”,Sibal said.

The 10-point agenda includes states mapping neighbourhood schools to enable access to all children,implementing child-centric provisions such as prohibition of corporal punishment,detention and expulsion,besides ensuring admission to children from disadvantaged sections. Teacher-centric provisions of the Act also need to be enforced,including maintaining an optimum pupil-teacher ratio,barring teachers from non-academic duties and recruitment of teachers based on their performance in the Teachers’ Eligibility Test besides school curricular reforms,teacher training modules,and better school infrastructure. The agenda also stresses on a grievance-redressal mechanism.

Highlights of the Act review

32 states have now notified the state RTE rules and 21 states have notified a State Commission for Child Protection Rights.

31 states have notified an academic authority and most states have issued notifications and circular on corporal punishment,detention,board examinations,ban on private tuitions,capitation fee and expulsion besides specifying minimum working days and instructional hours.

Bihar (7.06%),Jharkhand (5.30%) and Nagaland (6.23%) have arrested their dropout rate impressively. However,Haryana and Mizoram have shown an increase.

Despite the Centre sanctioning six lakh new teacher posts since the RTE came into effect,nearly 43 per cent primary schools have a pupil-teacher ratio exceeding the optimum of 30:1.

9 per cent of schools remain single-teacher schools,while 20 per cent of teachers didn’t have professional qualification