The Right to Education (RTE) Act provides free and compulsory education to children up to fourteen years of age. The Act provides that no student should be made to repeat a class till class 8th. School administrators face problems in promoting their students since they feel restricted. Administrators are expecting amendment in the Right to Education Act from the new Government to overcome this problem.
Deepak Ahuja, principal of Study land School, said that “the students have no fear and they have taken it for granted that they will not be made to repeat a class till they reach class 9. It becomes very difficult to make them study. We still have to promote the student even if he/she has learnt nothing. This provision should be removed”.
Meenakshi Pahwa, Principal of Snow Flake School, said that compulsory promotion of students till class 8th should be reduced to class 5. Syllabus increases a lot by the time they reach class 8th. It becomes difficult to promote the students if they do not attempt the exam properly. Allotting different streams to students too becomes difficult when they reach class 9.
Dr. Byala, Principal of Camrin Hall said that children take studies casually. Few of them who don’t learn much in class 8th face problem when promoted to class 9th. The teachers are helpless because they have to promote the students even if they have taken least interest in studying in lower classes. Students to face problem coping with the increase in syllabus. However he does not expect the new government to make any amendments and feel that the school administration should solve this problem.
Dehradun Chief Education Officer, SP Khali said that teaching methods in schools should be changed if students are not studying properly. The RTE Act has been implemented to protect the interest of the students. Teachers should employ joyful methods of teaching which will enable students to study with interest. District Education Officer (Basic), Parvendar Saklani feels that it is the responsibility of the teachers to motivate students to take interest in studies. The RTE Act has nothing to do with students not studying properly. It largely depends on the teachers how they are teaching.