India launches children's right to education

[gogbot]

Millions of Indian children remain out of school

A landmark law which makes education a fundamental right for children has come into effect in India.

It is now legally enforceable for every child to demand free and elementary education between the ages of six and 14 years.

Indian PM Manmohan Singh said enough funds would be made available to ensure that children had access to education.

An estimated eight million children aged between six and 14 do not currently attend school in India.

Mr Singh said that the government was committed "to ensuring that all children irrespective of gender and social category have access to education".

Recalling his own childhood, Mr Singh, a qualified economist, said: "I read under the dim light of a kerosene lamp. I am what I am totally because of education."

"So I want that the light of education should reach to all," Mr Singh added.

'Building block'

Analysts say the law marks a historic moment for India's children.

"It serves as a building block to ensure that every child has the right to guaranteed quality elementary education. The state, with the help of families and communities, has a legal obligation to fulfil this duty," said Karin Hulshof, India representative of UN children's fund Unicef.

Recently, the World Bank announced two education projects worth a total of $1.05bn for India - one of which is to boost the number of children enrolling in and completing elementary school.

The World Bank says the number of children reportedly enrolled in elementary education in India increased by 57 million to 192 million between 2003 and 2009.

More than two-thirds of this increase took place in government schools.

The number of children out of school declined from 25 million to 8.1 million during the same period, the World Bank says.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8598167.stm

 

[ahmedsid]

Free and Compulsory Education is the way forward! I hope this is taken seriously and implemented. But there are a lot of factors involved hampering the efforts for the right to education for children. Poverty is one of the sole reasons children dont get to go to School. The NREGS should work in conjunction with such poor and that will help the parents work and children study. There should be some kinda thought to this. Poverty eradication is the only way for Education to survive among the downtrodden masses!

 

[vikaskumar11233]

India has made progress in terms of increasing primary education attendance rate and expanding literacy to approximately two thirds of the population.India's improved education system is often cited as one of the main contributors to the economic rise of India. Much of the progress especially in Higher education, Scientific research has been credited to various public institutions. The private education market in India is merely 5% although in terms of value is estimated to be worth $40 billion in 2008 and will increase to $68 billion by 2012.

However, India continues to face stern challenges. Despite growing investment in education, 25% of its population is still illiterate; only 15% of Indian students reach high school, and just 7%, of the 15% who make it to high school, graduate. As of 2008, India's post-secondary high schools offer only enough seats for 7% of India's college-age population, 25% of teaching positions nationwide are vacant, and 57% of college professors lack either a master's or PhD degree.

As of 2011, there are 1522 degree-granting engineering colleges in India with an annual student intake of 582,000,plus 1,244 polytechnics with an annual intake of 265,000. However, these institutions face shortage of faculty and concerns have been raised over the quality of education.Iseet Sample Question Papers

 

[aeroblogger]

Great news! Now we can call ourselves an elementary education superpower!

 

[Payeng]

Well is it in the correct section btw?

 

[jackhammer2]

Actually with things like 50% reservation for oppressed classes in various Education bodies its more like denying particular ones' right to be educated.

 

[roma]

India has made progress in terms of increasing primary education attendance rate and expanding literacy to approximately two thirds of the population.India's improved education system is often cited as one of the main contributors to the economic rise of India. Much of the progress especially in Higher education, Scientific research has been credited to various public institutions. The private education market in India is merely 5% although in terms of value is estimated to be worth $40 billion in 2008 and will increase to $68 billion by 2012.

However, India continues to face stern challenges. Despite growing investment in education, 25% of its population is still illiterate; only 15% of Indian students reach high school, and just 7%, of the 15% who make it to high school, graduate. As of 2008, India's post-secondary high schools offer only enough seats for 7% of India's college-age population, 25% of teaching positions nationwide are vacant, and 57% of college professors lack either a master's or PhD degree.

As of 2011, there are 1522 degree-granting engineering colleges in India with an annual student intake of 582,000,plus 1,244 polytechnics with an annual intake of 265,000. However, these institutions face shortage of faculty and concerns have been raised over the quality of education.Iseet Sample Question Papers

i think you summed it up v well

overall - well done india - more steps in the right direction !!

 

[roma]

Actually with things like 50% reservation for oppressed classes in various Education bodies its more like denying particular ones' right to be educated.

we've heard a lot about what youve written above

gonna be a tough challenge including the poor without dening the right of the middle -class simultaneously

a lot of middle class who qualified lost their places to the "scheduled castes " ( am i right ? ) ..not an easy task for the ministry of education of India