Maharashtra government directs all DEOs to form high-powered committees for effective implementation of the RTE

Updated on: Saturday, August 10, 2013

The state government has directed all district education officers to form high-powered committees under the chairmanship of district collectors for effective implementation of the Right to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, and has set a December deadline to achieve 100% compliance to the act's norms across the state. The decision was taken after it was found that many schools in the state were not complying with the act's provisions.

Mahavir Mane, state education director, said that the decision was taken after a stock-taking workshop on RTE compliance that was held in the city last week. According to a report prepared by Unicef on the status of RTE implementation in the state, only 10% schools complied with all the 10 norms mentioned in the RTE Act.

"Taking cognisance of the poor compliance rate in the state, a meeting with the secretary of the education department, J S Saharia, was held where it was decided to form such committees so that the act is implemented effectively," Mane said.

Each committee will comprise commissioner of police, commissioner of the civic body, education heads of Pune Zilla Parishad as well as the municipal education board and others as members.

The Unicef report stated that the 10 indicators of RTE include infrastructure facilities such as headmaster's room, toilets, drinking water, playgrounds, kitchen sheds, that had poor compliance. Many schools in the state did not even have five of the ten provisions in the act.

"During this meeting with the secretary, it was decided that by December all districts in the state should be 100% compliant of the RTE provisions. In order to achieve this target, it is necessary that the top officials of every district be roped in to speed up the process," Mane said.

This committee will meet once in a month and conduct a review of the status of RTE implementation and the road ahead. The committee will also give special attention to talukas that have performed badly as far as compliance was concerned and steps to improve the situation in these talukas must be suggested during this meeting, Mane said.

Maharashtra government directs all DEOs to form high-powered committees for effective implementation of the RTE

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