Niti Aayog suggests RTE act’s revamp

Addressing some serious problems triggered by the RTE act implemented by the UPA government, the Niti Aayog, the policy think-tank established by the NDA government, has suggested the reconstruction of the ambitious act intended to provide free and compulsory education to all children aged between six and fourteen. It is observed that a provision under the RTE act, which restricts the school authorities from holding back students up to the eighth standard, makes detrimental effects on the children’s future as it spoils the competitive spirit of education.

A recent report publicising the preponderance of the children studying in the fifth standard do not even know to read the book published for two standard students raises some serious questions over the educational standard of the government schools. It is assessed that the provision aimed to check the dropout rates in the rural India due to the shame of failure in lower classes derails the quality and goal of education. Ever since the establishment of the RTE act, the policy makers have been facing serious criticisms over the act: the educational activists and experts working in the sector have not been consulted, the issue of the quality of education has not been addressed and much more. Experts say that the government must formulate feasible policies to restructure the educational system keeping in mind that no student should be deprived of acquiring ‘quality education’. Let’s wait for that day when our country realises investing in the quality education is much more important than buying new weapons and nuclear technologies, experts add.

Vignesh

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