2 yrs after RTE, dropouts fall but shortage of  teachers

Two years after the Right to Education Act came into effect, the annual average dropout rate at the primary level is down from 9.1 in 2009-10 to 6.9 in 2010-11, over 4.96 lakh classrooms and 6 lakh teachers posts have been added and the Centre’s outlay for the RTE-Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan has risen from Rs 13,100 crore in 2009-10 to Rs 25,555 crore in 2012-13.

However, the percentage of girls’ enrollment to total enrollment remains stagnant at 48 per cent, while the percentage of SC/ST enrollment to total enrollment has also not shown much change. While in the case of SCs, this has actually fallen from 20 per cent to 19 per cent between 2009-10 and 2010-11, in case of STs, it showed no change from 11 per cent.

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.

News : Indian Express (1.4.2012)