Gist of Kurukshetra- Rural Education : Right to Education-

Published: 11th Dec, 2019

Main features of the Act-

It makes education a fundamental right of every child between the ages of 6 and 14 years and specifies minimum conditions or input criteria that have to be met in all elementary schools.
It mandates all private schools to reserve 25 per cent of seats, absolutely free of cost, for children belonging to disadvantaged categories, which is to be reimbursed by the State.
It prohibits all unrecognised schools from practice, and also states that provision for donation or capitation fees is nor permissible.
The Act recognises the large number of children who have had to drop out for financial and/or other considerations and provides for mainstreaming in schools through special training so as to bring them at par with their peers in schools.
The RTE Act also requires surveys that will take stock of the education situation in all neighbourhoods, identify children who should be getting an education in school and set up facilities for providing it.

Steps for Qualitative Education in India-

It requires education policy to acknowledge that quality spans on a wide range of aspects ranging from the size of the school system, financial capabilities, strength of teachers unions, existing teacher capabilities and variability in performance across the State.
The Central and State Governments should partner with international agencies for providing technical strengthening support in the education sector.
Focus should be on improving quality by developing bespoke solutions instead of a standard straitjacketed programme design.
Efforts should be put to raise the learning levels of rural and marginalised students for promoting equitable basis for employment and inclusive growth.
“Education for All” should not imply “One Programme for All”. This thwarts innovations which should devise local solutions to local problems.