Rural schools established and run through state government directly need more attention and improvement in quality and achievement levels.

1. EDUCATION
OF
CHILDREN
The 86th constitutional amendment (2002), & the
RTE Act (2009) have given the tools to provide
quality education.
Union & States Govts & the Public have to do the
needful.

2. 2
Education is a continuous process of life long
learning, essential for human resource development.
A potent instrument for bringing about upward
economic and social mobility, education precedes
social transformation. Education is a strong pillar for
making democracy a success. For parents and
children, elementary education provides an
important role in taking part in the development of a
country. It is the foundation for the development of
the child in his social, intellectual, and physical
aspects. The school is required to inculcate the
cultural values and prepare the child for various
developmental tasks of his life.

3. 3
Primary education of the masses received a severe blow
with Lord Macaulay’s decision in 1835, to adopt English
as the medium of instruction. Wood’s Dispatch of 1854
tried to rectify the damage and stressed the importance
of the vernacular language in the spread of primary
education. Another positive step was Campbell’s
scheme of 1837, which brought all schools under the
grants-in-aid scheme and threw open the schools to
inspections by the education department.
Education during the British days

4. 4
Education during the British days
The Hunter Commission of 1883 recommended that
primary education should be the instrument to enable
people to fit into their life positions. Thus, according to
the interests of the British rulers, was to be the
continuance of the prevailing social and economic
order, where the highest role assigned to Indians was
perhaps that of clerks in the government departments.

5. 5
G.K. Gokhale on the 19th March 1910, moved a
resolution in the Indian Legislative Council stating “this
council recommends that a beginning should be made in
the direction of making elementary education free and
compulsory throughout the country”. In 1921, education
became a transferred subject. Incidentally, the Hunter
Commission (1883) had recommended decentralization
of education planning.
Education during the British days

6. 6
Towards the end of the Second World War, in 1944, a
Central Advisory Board on education was set up under
the chairmanship of John Sergeant to prepare a
comprehensive plan for the educational development in
India. It suggested that a system of universal,
compulsory and free education for all boys and girls
between the ages of 6 and 14, be introduced as early as
possible. This was indeed a significant development.
Education during the late British days -1944

7. 7
The end of British Rule on the 15th August 1947,
generated in the people a new hope, high
aspirations and expectations of a new life.
The constitution reflects this in its Article 45, which
states that “the state shall endeavor to provide, a
period of ten years from the commencement of
this constitution, for free, compulsory education for
all children until they complete the age of fourteen
years”.
The Constitution and School Education

8. Progress in the last fifty years
 At the first post-Independence Census of 1951, only
9 per cent of women and 27 per cent of men were
literate. It was resolved by the framers of the
constitution that the new Indian state would
endeavour to provide free and compulsory education
to all children up to age 14 by 1960.
 This goal turned out to be elusive and the deadline
for its achievement has been put back repeatedly in
the past sixty years. there has been very encouraging
progress in schooling participation and other
educational outcome indicators in recent times.
8

9. 9
In 1961, the government established the NCERT, which
acted as the principal agency for academic advice to the
Ministry of Education, especially for improvement of
school education. The NCERT (1970) identifies the
objectives of elementary education thus:
(i) to enable self-realization;
(ii) to develop better human relations, and
(iii) to enable fulfillment to civic responsibilities.
NCERT works in close collaboration with the education
departments of the states and other institutions having an
interest in school education.

10. 10
The council also implements UNESCO and UNICEF
assisted projects in the areas of elementary education:
Community education, nutrition education and population
education.
The various commissions on education, the committee of
members of parliament and the National Policy on
Education 1968 had identified the required areas and
given the direction.
In 1976, education was shifted from the state list to the
concurrent list and made the joint responsibility of the
union and state governments.

11. 11
Primary Education: Behavioral changes
Primary education is expected to bring about desirable
behavioral changes in young children in areas of
(1) knowledge and understanding,
(2) skill and competence,
(3) attitudes and interest, and
(4) action patterns.
Primary education, thus, is the foundation for the development
of the child in his social, intellectual, and physical aspects. The
school is required to inculcate the cultural values and prepare
the child.

12. 12
Elementary education consists of eight
years of education.
 The 86th constitutional amendment made a
fundamental right to elementary education to the
children between the age group- 6 to 14, justiciable.
 According to the 2001 census, the total literacy rate
in India was 65.38%.
 The female literacy rate was only 54.16%.
 The gap between rural and urban literacy rate was
also very significant in India.
 This is evident from the fact that only 59.4% of rural
population were literate as against 80. 3% urban
population according to the 2001 census.

13. 13
Right to Education Act – 2009-1
 The Right of Children to Free and
Compulsory Education Act was passed by
the India parliament on 4 August 2009 which
described the modalities of the provision of
free and compulsory education for children
between 6 and 14 in India under Article 21A
of the Indian Constitution.
 India is one of the few countries to declare
education a fundamental right of every child
when the act came into force on April 1, 2010.
Is this April Fool? Really Implementable?

14. 14
Right to Education Act – 2009-2
 The bill made education a fundamental right of every
child between the ages of 6 to 14 and specified the
minimum norms in government schools _ were they
followed? [Govt. schools not updated fully.]
 It specified reservation of 25% seats in private schools
for children from poor families,
 prohibited the practice of unrecognized schools, and
 made provisions that no donation or capitation fee was
demanded and no interview of the child or parent for
the admission were permitted.

15. 15
Right to Education Act – 2009-3
 The act also provided that, no child shall be held back,
expelled, or required to pass a board examination until
completion of elementary education years. _Quality
evaluation?
 Provision for special training of school drop-outs to
bring them at-par with the students of the same age.
 Right to Education of Person with Disabilities till 18
years of age was made a Fundamental Right.
 The act also provided for the National Commission for
Protection of Child Rights and State Commissions for
supervising of proper implementation of the act, and to
look after the protection of Child Rights.
 Did all States provide these or lack of funds excuse
given?

16. 16
Right to Education Act – 2009-4
 Other provisions regarding improvement of school
infrastructure, teacher-student ratio and faculty have
also been provided in the act. [No funds or no
teachers excuse again.]
 A committee set up to study the funds requirement
and funding estimated that Rs. 1.71 lakh crore would
be required in the next five years for implementing
the Act. [That much budget not possible?]
 The government agreed to sharing of funds in the
ratio of 65 to 35 between the Centre and the states
for implementing the law, with a ratio of 90 to 10 for
the north-eastern states.

17. 17
universal elementary education
 Everybody acknowledges the value of
education in the overall development of the
children.
 (Private) School Administrators focus on:
1. Enrolment
2. Availability of schools within walking distance
3. Provisioning for infrastructure
4. Deployment of required number of teachers.

18. 18
What is Learnt, how is it presented?
Educationists are concerned about
 Whether or how children learn, and the
 Burden of Syllabi (and whether it is
passed on to Tuition centres or Parents)

19. 19
• Development professionals discuss
 The impact of years of schooling, for example
on the age of marriage and family size.
 Economists talk about the economic returns
on Investment in education
 Parents have expectations from the
education system_ that it should equip their
children for gainful employment, and
economic well being.

20. 20
Fulfill goals of
universal elementary education
The enforcement of fundamental
right to education provides us a
unique opportunity to mount a
mission encompassing all the
above discourses to fulfill our goal
of universal elementary education.

21. 21
SCHOOL EDUCATION IN INDIA
 RTE provides for Children’s Right to free
and compulsory admission, attendance
and completion of elementary education.
 Undoubtedly, much progress has
occurred since the last seventy years of
our Independence and many more
children with a diverse background are
accessing school. Quality? Needs
improvement.

22. 22

23. 23
Dropped out, child laborers
 There are ‘invisible’ children_ children
bonded to work with an employer,
 young boys grazing cattle or working in a
dhabha
 girls working in the fields or as domestic help
or caring for younger siblings, and
 children being subjected to early marriage.
Many of these children are formally enrolled
in a school but have either dropped out or
have never been there.

24. 24
Extremely vulnerable ones
Many others such as migrant and
street children, who live in
extremely vulnerable conditions;
denying them education is against
the universal nature of human
rights.

25. 25
Enrol, attend, learn,
and
Be empowered by Education
 Providing universal access itself is no longer
enough; making available school facility is
essential but not sufficient.
 A monitoring mechanism is needed to ensure
that all children attend school regularly and
participate in the learning process.

26. 26
Not attending,
drop-out in a few months?
 Focus must be on the factors that
prevent children from regularly
attending & completing elementary
education. Children from
 weaker sections and
 disadvantaged groups, as also
 girls.
 SOCIAL,CULTURAL,ECONOMIC,
LINGUISTIC AND PEDAGOGIC ISSUES

27. 27
Reservation of 25% seats in private
schools for children from poor families
 The school may be
there but students may
not attend, or drop out
after a few months.
 Through school & social
mapping, many issues
need to be addressed
that prevent a weak
child from completing
the process of
education.
 Social, economic,
cultural, linguistic,
pedagogic issues
 Denial or violation of the
right to elementary
education process
requires to be
overcome with the
encouragement and
enlightenment of the
weak & vulnerable.

28. 28
Free, compulsory and of high quality
 The right to education is free, compulsory and
it includes good quality education for all.
 A curriculum not only provides good reading
and understanding of text books but also
includes learning through activities,
exploration and discovery.
 Comprehension, competence,
competitiveness and creativity should be
developed, not forgetting compassion.

29. 29
Education Depts of State & Union
Governments have direct responsibility
To provide (in government schools also),
 Schools near habitations,
 infrastructure,
 trained teachers,
 curriculum and
 teaching-learning material, and
 mid-day meal.
A good budget provision and a well
coordinated mechanism is needed for inter-
sectoral collaboration & convergence.

30. 30
On the part of the whole Governments:
 The factors that contribute to the
achievement of the overall goal of
universalizing elementary education as
a fundamental right requires action on
the part of the whole Governments.
A well coordinated mechanism is needed for
inter- sectoral collaboration & convergence.

31. 31
Timely & appropriate financial allocations,
redesign school spaces
 The Finance Department to release
funds at all levels.
 The Public Works Dept. to re-conceive
and redesign school spaces from the
pedagogic perspective & Address
issues of including disabled children
through barrier free access.

32. 32
Provide Social & Location Mapping of schools,
Water & sanitation facilities
 The Dept. of Science & Technology to
provide geo-spatial technology to
perform at
grass-root survey.
 Provision of access to sufficient safe
drinking water
 Provision and access to adequate
sanitation facilities, specially for girl
child.

33. 33
ROLE OF CIVIL SOCEITY in RTE
 Above all, people’s groups, civil society
organizations & voluntary agencies will play
an crucial role in the implementation of the
RTE Act.
 This will help build a new perspective on
inclusiveness, encompassing gender & social
inclusion, & ensure that these become
integral & crosscutting concerns informing
different aspects like training, curriculum and
classroom transaction.

34. 34
ROLE OF CIVIL SOCEITY
 A VIBRANT CIVIL SOCEITY MOVEMENT
CAN ENSURE THAT THE PARENT / CHILD
FROM WEAKER OR DISADVANTAGED
SECTIONS BECOME AWARE OF THE
VALUE OF EXERCISING THE RIGHT TO
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION AND PUT IN
SERIOUS EFFORTS ON THEIR PART.
 NGO contribution of knowledge, ideas and
solutions to the challenges are needed.

35. 35
Prime Minister’s Commitment:
"We are committed to ensuring that all
children, irrespective of gender and social
category, have access to education. An
education that enables them to acquire
the skills, knowledge, values and
attitudes necessary to become
responsible and active citizens of India.”

36. 36
The 86th constitutional amendment (2002),
And the RTE Act (2009), gave us the tools
to provide quality education to all our
children. It is now imperative that we the
people of India join hands to ensure the
implementation of this law in its true spirit.
The Government is committed to this task
though real change will happen through
collective action.

37. 37
India’s Age: YOUNG INDIA
 0-14 years: 31.1% (male 190,000,000 /female
172,890,000)
 15-64 years: 63.6%
 India’s Average:
 Total: 25 years
 Male: 25 years
 Female: 26 years

38. 38
Literacy rate
(percentage of adults who can read and write)
RTE ACT:

39. Costs of financing education for R T E
39

40. 40
Costs of financing education for R T E

41. Deccan Herald, Sunday, Aug. 26, 2018
Pathetic State of Govt. Schools: from one
teacher managing several classes to poor
infrastructure and decline in enrolment, state’s
govt. schools are plagued by a plethora of
challenges.
The above news-heading is from the front page
of the above Newspaper published from
Bengaluru. There is a coalition govt. in K now
that fears destabilization from within. There is a
flood disaster in Kodagu district of the state.
41

42. Deccan Herald, Sunday, Aug. 26, 2018,
Min. for Primary & Secondary Edu, N. Mahesh, said:
There are 3,450 schools in the state that had
single teachers and they would be merged with
nearby schools. It is reported that 14,500
schools exist with an admission of just about 30
students. Why is there a decline in enrolment
and retention in govt. schools? The issue of
children’s learning is also unresolved.
42