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Journalism of Courage
Over six months after it was first introduced in the Rajya Sabha,the long awaited Right to Education Bill 2008 will finally be tabled in the Lower House next week. The legislation,which has been on the UPA government’s agenda since its first term,promises free and compulsory education to all children aged 6 to 14. Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Kapil Sibal had also announced it as part of his 100-day agenda for the ministry.
The legislation will provide for an appellate authority in the form of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and make it compulsory for private schools to reserve 25 per cent seats for needy children. The NCPCR will be the sole grievance redressal authority in place of the National Advisory Council of experts proposed by the HRD Ministry earlier.
The legislation,however,will stop short of clearly spelling out the Centre-state fund sharing arrangement for implementation of its provisions. Sources said that while the fund sharing arrangement will be routed through the Finance Commission,private schools will be reimbursed the cost of reserving seats for needy students at government rates additional burden if any will have to be borne by the school.
In the works since 2002,when the 86th Constitutional amendment was effected,the Right to Education Bill was first taken to the Cabinet in August 2008 only to be referred to a Group of Ministers after questions regarding the funding cropped up. The Bill finally passed muster when the GoM headed by then HRD minister Arjun Singh gave it its go-ahead and said the funding issue was no longer a problem. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill,2008 was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on December 15,2008.
