[ES CITY ‘SUNDAY TIMES OF INDIA, VARANASI "FEBRUARY 14,2010 n‘act’ not pleasing enough An ‘act’ not pleasing enoug Right Of Children To Fee & Compulsory Education Act 2009 Is Attracting More Criticism Than Acclaim With Social Activists Ready To Wage War Binay Singh | 24% Varanasi: Though HRD minister Kapil Sibal on Friday signed the file of the Right of Children to Free and ‘Compulsory Edueation Act 2009 for ‘early notification and its Implemen: {ation from April 1, many organisa tions continue to Faise volce for cer tain amendments in the act. While Peoples Vigilance Commit tee on Human Rights (PVCHR) and its partners have started a signature campaign and are going to write let ters tal parliamentarians, the Cam. palga Against Child Labour (CACL) Also resolved to continue their cam: palgn on this issue. They have been ‘demanding the re-drafting ofthe bill since it was introduced in the Rajya Sabha with certain isstes like in clusion of the children of 06 year age In fact, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 of Right to Education Act 2009 enables the state to abdicate its | constitutional obligation towards providing elementary education (class I-Viil) of equitable quality to children in the 6-14 year age group group and 1418 year age group and 1, common school system in the act. “We are writing to all parliamen. tarians to draw thelr attention to wards some vital points lacking in the act,” PVCHR convener Lenin Raghuvanshi told TOL on Saturday: In fact, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 of Right to Education Act 2009 | enables the state to abdicate its con: stitutional obligation towards pro- viding elementary education (class LVIDD of equitable quality to chit ‘ren in the 614 year age group” he ed in the framework of a common School system based on neighbour: hhood schools in consonance with the basie epiritand principles enshrined in the Constitution,” he informed ‘Their other demand is to review the 86th Constitutional Amendment pulsory Education toall children up toe years. “We will continue our campaign for amendment in the act, the lsstle will also bediscussed at a meoting of cack few Delhi on February 21 ‘aid. “Our main demand is torepla 2002) witha view to providing a theRTE Act 2000 with anew actdraft- Fundamental Right toPreeandCom- According to him, the act in its MAIN DEMANDS | >> Replace the RTE Act 2009 with a new act crafted inthe framework of ‘Common Schoo! ystem based on ‘Neighbourhood Schools in ‘consonance withthe base sprit and principles enstrined inthe Constitution > Review the 86th Constitutional “Amendment Act (2002) with a view ‘to providing Fundamental Right to Free and Compuisory Education of ‘equitable quality tall children up to Byears > include a provision to completely ban all forms of privatisation and commercialisation of education | present form will never ensure eq uitable and quality education to all children. Te will prevent the children inthe ago group of 06 and 1418 years from ‘their right to education. The act, if implemented, will exclude 157 mil: lion children who are inthe age group of 046 years and have already been ‘guaranteed the right to free and com: Dulsory education by the Supreme Court way back in 1988. "Besides, it does not recognise the right of children between 1418 years ‘while the Government of India by ratifying the United Nations Decla ration on Child Rights is responsible to-nsure all rights to children up to 48 years of age,” he sald and added the act limited the role of the gov ernment to ensure a school in each neighbourhood area and shifted the responsibility of bringing children to those schools on the parents. Lenin said the entire education system must be reconstructed to build democratic, sctalist, secular, and enlightened society. Opening the ed ‘cation sector for investment should Pot come at the cost of the right of every child to free, quality education. ‘Unless a common school system is envisaged with effective monitor ‘ng mechanisms to ensure quality of education, the act will not be fable to meet its obligations,” he ‘concluded.