Right to Education

Gone are those days when grandmothers were telling stories to their grandchild on moon uncle. Now we are inking true stories of our exploration and achievements over this, popularly known Chandamama and this has only been possible because of our knowledge- the level of education we are getting, but sorry to say, still 80% of our kids- future of our country don’t know in which planet they live on. Primary Education is what that mother’s first milk to a newly born baby. It makes the foundation of a child strong, without this a person will be just like a tree without root. Education is the most potent mechanism for the advancement of human beings. It enlarges, enriches and improves the individual’s image of the future. A man without education is no more than an animal. The quality of education of the child will determine the quality of life in nation. Everyone has a Right to Education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. So, for this our government has passed a Bill on Right to Education which imparts free education to child upto age 14.

The Right to Education is recognized as a human right by the United Nations and is understood to establish an entitlement of free, compulsory primary education for all children, an obligation to develop secondary education accessible to all children, as well as equitable access to higher education, and a responsibility to provide basic education for individuals who have not completed primary education and also in addition to these, education can eliminate discrimination at all levels of the educational system, set minimum standards and to improve quality.

The Right to Education is enshrined in Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 14 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural rights.

The fulfillment of the Right to Education can be assessed using the 4 A’s frame work which declare that for education to be a meaningful Right it must be available, accessible, acceptable and adaptable, where for compulsory education requirements, the parents as the first educators and professional educators, namely teachers.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everybody has the right to education, hence the right accures to all individuals, although children are understood as the main beneficiaries. The Right to Education are separated into many levels:-

  »    Primary Education shall be compulsory and free for any child regardless of their nationality, gender, place of birth or any other discrimination.

  »   Secondary Education must be generally available and accessible including technical and vocational.

  »   Higher Education should be provided according to capacity i.e, anyone who meets the necessary education standards should be able to go to University.

  »   Fundamental Education shall be encouraged or intensified as far as possible for those persons who have not received on completed the whole period of their primary education.

  »    The development of a system of schools at all levels shall be actively pursued, an adequate fellowship system shall be established and the material conditions of teaching staff shall be continuously improved.

The founder fathers of the nation recognizing the importance and significance of Right to Education made it a constitutional goal, and placed it under chapter IV Directive Principle of state policy of the constitution of India. Article 45 of the constitution requires state to make provisions within 10 years for free and compulsory education for all children until they complete the age of 14 years.

However, the constitution of India and Supreme court have declared that the education is now a fundamental right of the people of India on april 1, 2010 of which nearly 92 lakh children who had either dropped out of schools or never been to any educational institution  will get elementary education. It mandates children’s Right to an education that is free from fear, stress and anxiety, including good behaviour, teacher- child and teacher- parent relationships. The direct responsibility to provide schools, infrastructure, supply of books, trained teachers, curriculum and attracting children through mid- day meals undoubtedly lies with the education Departments of the central and state governments. It is indeed a great opportunity for the nation to send every child to school and create a bright future.

The Right to Education will be meaningful only and only if the all the levels education reaches to all the sections of the people otherwise it will fail to achieve the target set out by our founder father to make Indian society an egalitarian society.

Passing a Bill on Education Right was necessarily important but implementing it properly is 100 times more important than that. We can’t leave the future of our child- the nation on the hand of few people. We have to assist the government organisation and personnels in every path of this Rights proper implementation rather than indulging in blame games and corruption.

Education is the store house of knowledge and this knowledge is to be explored and injected properly in our futures so that nothing will be invincible before them and if we have explored the earth, moon, sun and other planets, they will explore the stars and the unmeasurable universe.