The Uttarakhand State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (USCPCR) needs be made proactive and effective so that it is able to monitor implementation of Right to Education (RTE) properly in Uttarakhand. This and many other recommendations were made by the State RTE forum in its annual stock taking report on the status of RTE in Uttarakhand.
The State convener of the forum Raghu Tiwari said that report suggests that more than 6000 posts of teachers are vacant in the Government schools of the State. He said that the quality of the education in these schools is taking a dip.
Taking the example of African countries, Tiwari said that how the process of privatisation of education started there and highlighted its consequences. He said that in the age of reforms the Governments want to divert their attention from its social responsibilities which is manifesting in budget cut for education.
The RTE forum says that social and political strength is needed to implement the provisions of RTE in right earnest and social activists should ensure that education alleviation is on the top agenda of all political parties in elections.
Tiwari also stressed a need to bring a regulatory mechanism for the private schools of the state so that they implement a concept of minimum wages to teachers and are forced to keep an upper limit of fees.
P S Bisht of RTE forum and Neelima Bhatt from Aman organisation gave detailed presentation on the status of education in Uttarakhand.
Their report suggests that large number of students are not in the schools and the School Management Committees are defunct.
The State coordinator of RTE, Sunil Bhatt in his address claimed that the State is on right track on implementation of RTE and that its performance is better than other States.
The Joint Director, Primary education, J S Bisht accepted that the enrollment in the Government schools has dropped due to migration of rural population. He said that the State Government has conceptualised model schools for improving quality of education. Bisht said that the department is committed for complete implementation of RTE provisions.
Noted educationalist V S Painyuli was chief guest on the occasion.
The President of Rajkeeya Shiksak Sangh Ram Singh Chauhan, General Secretary of PSS Digvijay Singh, patron RSS Garhwal Mukesh Bahuguna, members of USCPCR and large number of educationalists and members of social organisations were present in the occasion.