Being literate and being educated are two different concepts. So, the qualified teachers are the vital mechanism to educate children and not to only increase literacy rate,” said Odisha State legal Services Authority (OSlSA) Member Secretary Sashikant Mishra while addressing the State level Consultation on RTE Grievance Redress Mechanism organized by Multiple Action Research Group (MARG) and supported by Oxfam India.
The consultation was attended by various child rights and right to education activists and institutions such as the Odisha State Commission on Protection of Working on RTE Grievance Redress.
Rajlaxmi Das, Member OSCPCR, said the OSCPCR is taking suo moto action to address issue of protection of child rights and urged the civil society to work hand in hand and strengthen the work Commission is doing.
The objective of the consultation was to bring together all stakeholders working on Right to Education (RTE) and protection of child rights in Odisha. The RTE Act puts the responsibility of ensuring enrollment, attendance and completion of education on the Government and makes the State and local bodies accountable for the implementation. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and State Commissions for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCRs) and Sarba Shiksa Abhiyan (SSA) have been mandated to monitor the implementation of the historic right. School Management Committees and State Advisory Councils also have crucial roles to play. The promotion of equality of opportunity in education both in law and in fact is an ongoing challenge for all States that requires not only the elimination of discriminatory practices but the adoption of temporary special measures to bring about de facto equality with regard to education. These may include both legal and policy initiatives.
MARG released a “Booklet on Central Government Schemes for Primary and Secondary Education in Odia.” Among others, Head of Tata Steel Odisha, CSR, Ambika Prasad Nanda, Regional Manager Oxfam Akshaya Ku Biswal, RTE Forum, Odisha convenor Anil Pradhan were also present.