Right to Education: Some Questions to Ask
The only purpose of education has always been to prepare posterity for the future. But in India, it has served much more than that. In India, education is a culture that one generation passes to another. It’s a tradition of learning through mutual respect, love, and compassion between the mentor and the pupil. This has been an inviolable practice in India since the days when learning began. However, education in India has its issues as well.
Issues of the Indian Education System
India in the post-independence era is trying to tackle the life-long concerns of poverty and illiteracy. Also, women’s empowerment demands a comprehensive education policy. Then there’s the daunting task of fighting the curses of child marriage and female feticide. Perhaps that’s why the modern-day lawmakers have resorted to an all-encompassing plan. Undeniably, this has brought a remarkable change in the attitude of the poorest of the poor towards education. The financially underprivileged and socially estranged sections of society have begun to embrace education as the primary need of life.
Reality of Today
Modern times have presented a few undesirable puzzles, too. All of a sudden, reality has turned the table upside down. Teachers in the undergraduate sections, especially the secondary and upper-primary stages, confront the deterioration of the worst kind. This wouldn’t have bothered the educationists only a couple of years ago. But now it requires serious insight into the recommendations implemented to fulfil the objectives of the current education system.
Free and mandatory school education till class 8
According to the Right to Education Act of 2009, education until class 8 is free for all pupils. Children between 6 and 14 must have a ‘basic education.’ The RTE Act came into effect after deliberation on the 86th Amendment to Part III of Article 21A, which makes education free and compulsory for all children between 6 and 14.
Main features of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009
Questions to be asked
Already education analysts and critics have questioned the viability of the act. Their views include issues of the limited age group covered, corruption charges against the schemes, concerns about the orphans being left out, implementational shortcomings of the ‘no detention policy’ (2019), and the like*. But there are some other questions.
If we provide elementary education for free, are we not going against the Vedic concept of ‘Gurudakshina’? Gurudakshina is the traditional offering a pupil or his parents pay in return for the education he receives. It is a mark of respect and gratitude of the learners for the mentors or teachers. This is also a unique aspect of the subcontinent. Are we not moving away from that age-old practice? This needs to be asked.
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How many of us care for things we find or receive for free? How many of us pay attention to something of the least monetary value? Very few. We keep our mobile phones safe. But are we equally attentive towards a coin of ?.1/-? We protect our costly possessions. But do we think much about the return gifts received at a birthday party? Not much. Can we expect our children to do exactly the opposite and be attentive to the education they receive free of cost?
Promotion is an award for the hard work one puts in. It is an acknowledgement of the fruitful labour one employs. Of course, detention means the opposite; it is a kind of disrespect for one delinquent. Now, if there is ‘no detention’ after the annual examination, and all the students get promoted to the next class, is it not an injustice to the diligent ones? In other terms, is it not going to encourage the evasive tendencies of the dodgers?
If a pupil does not fear the mentor and is not controlled through fear of punishment, will it not further aggravate his proneness for misconduct? Should a free soul inclined to waywardness feel any qualms when there is no apparent restriction? How can we check a flood if we do not build the dam? Such is human nature; it requires both cutting and watering. Of course, the RTE of 2010, the Juvenile Justice Rules of 2007, and the Juvenile Justice Act of 2015 prohibit any physical torture or punishment. But does it mean complete freedom? But what else can the authorities do when only they are to be held accountable for any undesirable incident?
Rewards are for the deserving ones. Scholarships are an example. On the other hand, incentives are for supporting education during the academic years. Even the students are aware of it. But if these reach the learners for just completing a certain level of education somehow. Quite sure, it no longer remains a support for aiming for the best possible outcome in the examinations; it then becomes an allure for completing the stipulated stages of education. It could have been like this: 50 reward points for completing the best possible way, 25 for the next best, and 10 for just completing. Then more learners might go for the best possible outcome, even if for the reward points. Do we want to make just a literate or an academically fit community?
Going by the National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020, the PTR should be less than 30:1 in economically disadvantaged areas. But is it achievable? In most cases, the recruitment of teachers has been put on hold due to some legal matters. The matter is far from reality in the schools in rural areas. In the worst-case scenario, a teacher is engaged to teach about 150–200 students in a class. And still expect the teacher to give his best and be patient in the most hostile situations.
Conclusion
NEP and RTE are sure to redefine the academic picture of India. They have delivered wonders so far. Also, lawmakers and educationists are doing their best to refurbish them further. But, with only the extrinsic aspects in their minds, they might make an education system that would run after achievements. To achieve glory, they should also consider the intrinsic values of education. An all-inclusive education policy will produce the desired outcomes.
(*Source: InsightsIAS)
MA Economics | Aadhaar Operator in Postal Dept | Content Writing Intern at Pehchaan The Street School(NPO)
2 个月Good post Sir. However I would humbly disagree with the point that providing elementary education for free is reducing the value attached to it. Because there are a lot of underprivileged children whose parents can't afford the fees. Also 'No detention policy' might have some drawbacks due to lack of proper implementation,but it has also reduced significant number of drop outs in schools.