CRY meet

Updated on: Monday, November 15, 2010

A press-meet organised by Child Relief and You (CRY) addressed the ramifications of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE), passed in 2009. The speakers, including CRY Associate General Manager, Development Support, Satya Gopal Dey and Rina Chunder emphasized the importance of the Act and CRY’s initiatives to educate the opinion of children, parents and community-members. The Act recognizes the right of all children between the ages of 6 and 14 to free and compulsory elementary education in a neighbourhood school. It also requires private and unaided schools to comply with government regulations and standards within 3 years and allocate their resources to make education accessible to the economically disadvantaged, although government-aided schools are excluded from this directive.

Dey acknowledged the progressive nature of the act, but pointed out a few gaps that needed to be bridged like public expenditure on education, which still remains below 3% of the GDP. He also hoped to influence policy-makers and expand the stipulated age group to include children between the ages of 14 and 18 as well for free and compulsory education. He stressed the importance of creating public awareness about the Act and its potential role in breaking prejudices and social ills, especially against the education of the girl child. In order for schools to be accessible, he proposed that there should be one within a radius of 1 km. The Act also requires teachers to be qualified and their ratio to students be fixed reasonably. Corporal punishment in any form has been forbidden. Dey said, “The daily realities that face children and hinder their access to education need to be made part of the implementation plans of the Government of India if we are to make quality education available to every child”.

The shortcomings were brought to the fore by a brief session that had children sharing their own experiences.

Sabuj Maity from Kultalia and Puspa Bala Mahato, a thirteen-year old girl who lives in the Adivasi Jahira Bastee in Jamshedpur narrated stories of neglect and despondency. Sabuj dropped out of his school, which had two hundred students assigned to only two teachers and provided no opportunities for extra-curricular activities. Puspa found a nail in her midday lunch. The Children’s Groups facilitated by CRY partner Adarsh Seva Sansthan encouraged her to speak up about this and Sabuj was also counselled to join school again and has since been involved in various student groups and theatre projects.

Prakash, from Khiderpore, wants to finish high school but falls outside the stipulated age group for free education. Twelve-year old Rubina Mallick from Orissa is the fifth daughter of Ram Chandra Mullick who felt that it was not necessary for a girl child to continue with her education. Counsellors from OMRAH talked to her parents and they eventually allowed her to return to her studies.

CRY meet

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