In May 2011, Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri , State Minister for Primary and Secondary Education, had assured that the Right To Education (RTE) Act will be implemented “in a month's time”. Even after almost a year since he gave that assurance, when Mr. Kageri is asked about the delay in implementation of the Act, the response is similar – 'Very soon'.
Speaking to Coastaldigest.com at the side lines of a function in Bhatkal on Sunday, Mr. Kageri said “My Ministry has done its job and we have forwarded the Act to the cabinet. It is now with them and they may pass it any time. We know that it is something that has to be implemented and the Centre has already given orders. It is with the state cabinet and very soon, it will be implemented”, Mr. Kageri reassured.
When asked if the Act would see implementation well before schools begin across the state, Mr. Kageri responded in the affirmative.
The snail paced action being taken by the state government to implement the Act has been a cause of concern. “Admissions in schools will begin in a few days and the evil of collecting capitation fees and donations are likely to continue if the Act is not implemented now. The Act has some strict laws in connection with collection of donations. Without it, the schools will behave as though there is no one to question them”, says Renny D'Souza, Director, VALORADE (Value Oriented Educational Project), and an education activist.
The Minister however informed that the state government has looked into the aspect of prescribing fee structures for not just government schools but private aided and unaided schools as well.
However, it is not just the donation menace but many other aspects of schooling that educational activists are looking for in the implementation of RTE. Apt changes have to be made in the Act as per the state's requirements, which the Minister says, has been done. “Although no major changes have been made in the Act passed by the centre, we have looked into certain aspects and made changes as per the requirements of our state”, Mr. Kageri said. He declined to reveal what sort of changes he was talking about.
It was being demanded that quota within the quota of the 25% set aside by the Act to avoid injustice to SC/STs and backward and lower sections of the society be also considered. When asked if it had been done, Mr. Kageri said: “I will reveal all these details when the Act is passed in the House”.
Saffronisation of text books
When asked about the stark criticism that the state government has been facing over the issue of saffronisation of school text books, the Minister said that the government is going according to the prescribed norms.
“We have a team of educationists and experts. They have looked into the norms and syllabus has been drafted as per the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) guidelines. There is nothing to worry about”, Mr. Kageri said.
However activists like Renny D'Souza refute this claim of the Minister. “What they are doing is clearly against the norms of the NCF and RTE itself which says that no syllabus imparting communal hatred should be taught to the students”, he says.
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