RTE Act ready, but what about action?

BANGALORE: The Act may be ready, but what about the infrastructure to set the Act in motion? With the Right To Education (RTE) Act coming into effect, Karnataka, like a few other states, has a few challenges. To begin with, the state needs to recruit 20,000 to 50,000 teachers, which is the same for Haryana and Punjab.
A meeting of state education secretaries early this year revealed that 5.1 lakh teachers are required to meet the Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) provided under the RTE Act.“There are 5.3 lakh vacancies under state budgets, which states will need to fill expeditiously. Under teacher posts already sanctioned under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), there is a balance of 2.25 lakh teachers to be recruited,’’ the meeting report stated.
Basic amenities is another issue that Karnataka needs to look at. For instance, it requires 35,000 to 50,000 toilets only for girls. Overall, 7 lakh toilets for girls are required. The highest requirement is in Bihar with 90,000, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 63,000, and Odisha 54,000.
Another is providing adequate drinking water in schools. Nearly 4.3 lakh schools require drinking water in the country. The highest requirement — over 10,000 schools — is in Karnataka.
What comes as a relief is that the RTE Act ensures that teachers will not be burdened by non-academic duties, though it has high expectations of teachers. This includes full involvement with the functioning of SMCs (school management committees) and accountability towards the “local authority” regarding rights of children. Importantly, ensuring there is no corporal punishment, harassment and no detention.The meeting discussed having a system in place for rational and transparent postings and transfers. Special circumstances of women teachers will be considered.
FUNCTIONING OF RTE
It was highlighted that states need to formulate a policy on opening schools and incorporating appropriate distance norms so that all children have access to a neighbourhood school. The states may have to undertake physical and social mapping of all habitations, link habitations to specific schools, as also address social, cultural and physical barriers to enrolment and participation. Special training to be provided for mainstreaming out-of-school children into age-appropriate classes in regular elementary schools.
AGE-APPROPRIATION ADMISSION
Identification of out-of-school children will be done through social mapping. Admission will include formal enrolment of children and special training, ranging anywhere from three months to two years to enable them to cope with age-appropriate class. The curriculum and material prepared for these children will not merely focus on the 3Rs but also on life skills, which would need to be prepared by a specially-constituted group. After special training, children would be inducted into formal school and supported in academic and emotional integration into the school system.
GIRLS’ EDUCATION
Girls from disadvantaged communities form the bulk of out-of-school children. Training and academic support to be given for classroom processes that are gender sensitive, non-discriminatory, free of corporal punishment and mental harassment.
INFRASTRUCTURE
Incorporating child friendly elements and ensuring barrier-free access to schools must be taken up on priority. Old, weak and structurally unsafe school buildings should be appropriately repaired/reconstructed. Structural safety features should be built into new school building design, retrofitting of existing buildings located in high-risk seismic zones. Drinking water and sanitation facilities in schools should be ensured.
NO CLARITY ON FUNDING
RG Nadadur, principal secretary, Karnataka, had stated at the meeting that there was no clarity at the state level pertaining to the modality of funding under the RTE Act. “There are two different voices being heard — the state finance department is of the view that funds will flow from the treasury, whereas the education department wants the fund to flow through State Society Mode.”