In three years since the inception of the Right to Education (RTE), making school education free and mandatory for children aged six years to 14 years, statistics show that dropout rates have come down by about seven per cent in various categories, and about four per cent among the Scheduled Caste students. Enrolment figures have also gone up.
“Although a lot has been achieved in meeting the RTE parameters, much more grounds need to be covered,” said Brinda Sarup, Additional Secretary, Elementary Education, HRD Ministry, who was speaking at the convention to assess the growth of RTE organised by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and UNICEF.
“As against the target of 19.82 lakh teachers, 14.80 lakh have been recruited as of September 30, 2013,” she said.
Sarup said 90 per cent of the schools across the country have toilet facilities while 95 per cent have drinking water supply. Additional classrooms have been also been added.
“Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh have successfully implemented the 25 per cent reservation for students from the fringes of society in neighbourhood schools,” she said. According to records with HRD Ministry, during 2013-14, 2,08,731 primary schools and 1,59,731 upper primary schools were sanctioned. Secretary (School Education and literacy) in
the HRD Ministry R
Bhattacharya said 98 per cent of the habitation in the country has elementary schools as of today within 1 kilometre and 92 per cent have
upper primary schools within three kilometre of their locations.