Question - The right of children to free and complementary education act 2009, remains inadequate in promoting incentive-based system for children's education without generating awareness about the importance of schooling. Analyse
Answer- The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act) is a landmark legislation that aims to provide free and compulsory elementary education to all children of the age group of six to fourteen years as a fundamental right in India. The RTE Act lays down the norms and standards for school infrastructure, pupil-teacher ratio, curriculum, evaluation, teacher qualifications, etc. It also assigns the duties and responsibilities of the central and state governments, local authorities, parents and schools in ensuring the implementation of the right to education.
However, the RTE Act may not be adequate in promoting an incentive-based system for children's education without generating awareness about the importance of schooling. This is because incentives alone may not be sufficient to motivate children and parents to enroll and retain in school, especially if they face various socio-economic and cultural barriers that hinder their access to education. Some of these barriers may include poverty, child labour, gender discrimination, caste discrimination, disability, distance, language, quality, etc. Therefore, generating awareness about the importance of schooling among children and parents is essential to create a demand for education and to overcome these barriers.
Moreover, generating awareness about the importance of schooling is not only the responsibility of the government or the schools, but also of the community. The community can play a vital role in creating a conducive environment for education by mobilizing resources, monitoring schools, supporting teachers, ensuring attendance, preventing dropouts, resolving conflicts, etc. The RTE Act recognizes the role of the community by mandating the formation of School Management Committees (SMCs) consisting of parents, teachers and local representatives to participate in school planning, management and monitoring. However, the effectiveness of SMCs depends on their capacity, empowerment and accountability.
Therefore, I think that the RTE Act remains inadequate in promoting an incentive-based system for children's education without generating awareness about the importance of schooling. I think that both incentives and awareness are necessary to ensure the realization of the right to education for all children. I also think that community participation is crucial for creating a culture of education and enhancing the quality and accountability of schools.