[Assam] [asha-dc-core] RTE Proposal comments from DC

[umesh sharma]

Right To Education? Any comments on our discussuion at www.ashanet.org/dc - for India's pending Bill?

"Sirish.in" <
  
Date: Sun, 11 Mar 2007 18:10:36 -0400
Subject: [asha-dc-core] RTE Proposal comments from DC


          DC chapter had detailed discussions on RTE proposal over two meetings (12 and 6 volunteers in attendance). The comprehensive comments captured from these meetings are pasted below.
   
  Thanks to Raakhi for compiling the comments.
  Sirish
 
    RTE Bill Comments from Washington, D.C. Chapter 
   
  Addressing concerns raised by Seattle: 
  1.     Duty of citizens 
  ·       Right Vs Compulsory – Should not be compulsory, should be more incentive based. Incentives could be scholarships, mid-day meals (it is now on paper, but it should be implemented), health check-ups 
   
  2.     Age 6-14 covered in the bill, what about ages 0-6 
  ·       On what basis is the age 6 chosen. It is our understanding that most children start attending school in India at age 4 or 5. 
  ·       The bill should include a provision for pre-school activities to be provided for children between the ages of 3-6. Such a provision will better prepare children with uneducated parents for elementary education. 
   
  3.     Gender gap 
  ·       The bill does not address the growing gender gap. Girls are often forced to drop out of school or not sent at all. The bill should identify benchmarks for closing this gap. 
  ·       Scholarships should also be provided for girl children for both performance and need based. 
   
  4.     Curriculum 
  ·       The bill should include standards to evaluate children against to ensure that they are actually learning. The bill mentions that standards will be prescribed by a "Competent Academic Authority." The bill should specify what this body actually is and does. Is it a School Board? 
  ·       The teacher student ratio should be optimal 
  ·       It should be assumed that the children are starting from scratch (starting with alphabets) and they have no prior "education." 
  ·       Children are tested at grades 5 and 8, but should be extended to grades 1 and 3 as well. The bill does not specify what level of skills is desired from children before they are promoted to the next grade. 
  ·       The bill mentions that children will be leaning in their "mother tongues", but this could be a potential problem for children who move out of the region or children of migrant workers. How will this issue be addressed? 
  ·       The bill does not mention when English will be taught in school. 
   
   
  5.     Finances 
  ·       The resources should come from the Central Govt and not place the burden on state governments. Shifting the burden to state governments will lead to non-implementation. 
   
  6.     Infrastructure 
  ·       Facilities in the school should be functional 
  ·       There should be enough female teachers 
  ·       We agree with the concerns raised by the Seattle chapter on this particular issue. 
  ·       The "good faith" clause must be revised because it relinquishes the government of responsibility too easily. 
 
  7.     Enforcement 
  ·       Some basic metrics have to be identified such as teacher attendance, performance of the students, and accessibility to schools. Accessibility to schools should be determined by population density and distance from dwellings to the school. 
  ·       Teachers should be paid competitive salaries, but SMCs should ensure attendance. Greater parental or civil society involvement/demands may help with teacher attendance. 

  
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Raakhi Agrawal <raakhi at gmail.com>
Date: Mar 11, 2007 9:26 AM 
Subject: Disregard Last attachment
To: Sirish <@gmail.com>

 
  Sirish - 
   
  I sent the wrong attachment in my last e-mail. Please use this attachment.
   
  Thanks,
  Raakhi
 
  

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__,_._,___         


Umesh Sharma
5121 Lackawanna ST
College Park, 
(Washington D.C. Metro Region)
MD 20740 

1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]

Ed.M. - International Education Policy
Harvard Graduate School of Education,
Harvard University,
Class of 2005

weblog: http://jaipurschool.bihu.in/
website: www.gse.harvard.edu/iep
 		
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