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MOVE TO MAKE PRIMARY EDUCATION A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT
"The main component of this legislation will be 'free and compulsory' education. This was the main problem faced by the flagship Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (Education for All programme)," said a senior official in the Ministry of Human Resources Development (HRD). "Our minister (Arjun Singh) has been writing regularly to all chief ministers to come on board for this major programme. But they all want the central government to fund the programme completely," the official said. "As a result, we are taking a call on funding the entire programme with central funds as opposed to the earlier proposal of 75 percent share from the centre and the rest from the states."
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan wants to ensure universal primary education in the country in a time bound manner and address the second target set under the Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations, of which India is a signatory. Apart from funding, states also had a problem with the proposed legislation as it made it mandatory for them to extend free education to all children between 6-14 years of age. "Without ensuring the free and compulsory aspect of primary education, the 86th amendment to the Constitution, that makes primary education a fundamental right, will remain on paper," the official said. "This was precisely the problem faced by Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. It is free, but not mandatory. So, along with the mid-day meal scheme, the idea is to give more teeth to this flagship programme," he said. "Using the Right to Education Bill, the government also wants to address issues like child labour, adequate nutrition for children, gender bias and special care for children with disability," the official added. (Edunews)
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