NEW DELHI, NOV 28: A two-day conference of State Education Secretaries which concluded on Saturday has endorsed a proposal to move a Bill to amend the Constitution to make elementary education a Fundamental Right for all children up to 14 years and a Fundamental Duty of parents and guardians of children in the age group.Briefing mediapersons on the outcome of the conference, Union Minister for Human Resources Development (HRD) Murli Manohar Joshi said that it also approved a move to enact Central legislation to provide for free and compulsory elementary education.The conference hoped that the new legal framework would reflect the national resolve to achieve the goal of education for all and persuade the Central and state governments to increase public investment in education to six per cent of the GNP over the next five years.The conference also suggested greater participation of the non-governmental sector in education to fill the gaps in providing education and meet the needs of unreached areas andunder-served population. It was also felt that every possible attempt should be made to promote excellence in education and measures to prevent commercialisation of education should be enforced more rigorously to protect students from exploitation by unscrupulous elements.The conference welcomed the overall strategy and approach of ``Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan''. It felt the convergence of diverse programmes in elementary education will facilitate decentralised planning, improve delivery, enhance people's participation and improve capacities of panchayati raj Institutions to manage and supervise local schools.While emphasising the need to further discuss the details of the programme and its funding pattern, the conference felt that the process for formulation of district elementary education plans in 148 low female literacy districts may be initiated at the earliest with assistance of National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA).Recognising that the rapid growth of the populationin our metropolitan areas poses a major challenge, the conference urged that the concerned states may strengthen partnership with municipal corporations and NGOs working in this difficult area. It was suggested that NIEPA prepare a booklet giving information about various non-governmental initiatives for education of children in urban slums to facilitate the task of state governments.The conference also stressed the need to make concerted efforts to fulfill the mandate of the Disabilities Act, 1995, to provide free education to all children upto 18 years in the category in partnership with reputed and committed NGOs.
