Author:
With much fanfare, the Government of India has enacted one more ârightâ in this race to ensure that all possible human endeavours soon get converted into the ârights to be demanded from the stateâ. This is called the Right To Education! In operationalising this Right, all kinds of challenges are already emerging, including those related to the actual meaning of this right for each child, adolescent and their parents?
Last week was particularly relevant from the point of view of education âSeptember 5 in India is celebrated as Teachersâ Day; it is hoped the respect and gratitude towards the teachers will be expressed by society on this day. The government ritualistically âawardsâ some great teachers in a ceremony of pomp and glory. But, nobody asks the question about the performance and accountability of teachers and their profession? If continued and chronic absence of teachers ( from classrooms and teaching both) is the bane for our exceptionally poor record in promoting basic quality education for all in this country (or others too?), then why are teachers not held to account on this Teachersâ Day: do they respect their profession and value their performance?
The second important day last week was September 8, UN designated International Literacy Day. This time around, the Ministry of human Resource Development, Government of India placed big advertisements in newspapers claiming that âSakshara Bharatâ programme launched last year is going places; however, the main public function on this Literacy Day was inauguration in Vigyan Bhawan (through remote button) of buildings of 31 Navodaya Schools (secondary schools for bright kids) by Smt Sonia Gandhi. So, the lip service was given to literacy, and real investment was made in secondary schools for the âbold and the brightestâ children! This hypocritical approach towards literacy has been characteristic of Indian policy-makers and political leaders during the past sixty years; it is precisely because of this mind-set that scores of national and provincial programmes for literacy have added upto not much achievementâIndia still has about a third of its population (nearly 400 million folks) illiterate, vast majority of them girls and women.
It suits the current regime and elites that teachers in public schools donât teach, and literacy programmes continue to flounder; millions without functional literacy skills allow the status quo to continue unabated, and the rulers continue to rule uninterruptedly.
The Right To Learn has not been legislated or enforced; it is only the right to attend school occasionally!
Rajesh Tandon
September 12, 2010
PRIA’s MobiliseHER team traveled to Bangalore during the week of June, 10 – 14, 2024. The aim of the visit was to gain relevant insights into the civil society ecosystem in Bangalore and meet different organisations to understand the city through a lens of gender and inclusive mobility.
Working at PRIA, often leads us to various cities across the country. Each trip is an opportunity to witness firsthand the challenges and triumphs of different communities.
Mr. Yedukrishnan V has recently joined PRIA after gaining valuable experience in the development sector. Drawing from his journey in the social sector and personal encounters in Kerala, he emphasises the importance of participatory governance and research in empowering marginalised communities.'
