The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill hopes to cover the 10 crore children between the ages of six and 14 who are out of school through a neighbourhood school. How will this neighbourhood schools look like? Who will get it set up and commission?
As per the act, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, Sainik schools, and unaided schools will admit at least 25 per cent of their students from disadvantaged and economically weaker groups.
Let me talk of the real situation of education of the children of the age in Noida. Noida must have two extreme. While each of the villages integrated with Noida such as Agarhpur, Morena and many are having good buildings for schools, but the standard of teaching in these government schools is just dismal noway better than rural schools. There are some other types of schools such the two I know that are being run by Sai Temple and Shakti Mandir in Sector 40 with a large of boys and girls from the bottom of pyramid attending it every day morning. These kids are from the families of rikshapullers, security men, lowly paid migrants working on construction sites, janitors and those who work as domestic maids. Some are run by NGOs. Many private schools are also in business that charges some fee too.
And on the other hand are the high end schools perhaps at least one in each sector with the very best facilities and charging pretty good amount as fee. The standard of teaching in these schools is certainly of world class. And so, many finding difficulties in getting admissions in Delhi’s good schools may soon be looking towards these schools in Noida.
How can Sibal’s Act bring equity in the education standard of all these schools and how will he ensure that no one in the age is out on the streets of Noida or working at home or with some petty employers rather in schools? The execution of the act requires involvement of the civil society. The high-end schools must come forward to find ways and means to attract 25% of its students from the underprivileged class. NGOs must look to locate the deserving students from the category and get them in the high-end schools.
Why can’t the high-end schools of Noida or the whole of NCR adopt the rural or temple schools in the region, get involved with its students and teachers to improve the quality of education there and set example for the rest of the country? Can Mr. Sibal see this happening?
I am really excited about the speedy reforms that Sibal is carrying out in education sector. I wish to see Sibal’s vision of free and compulsory education realized throughout the country. I shall be trying to gauge it by observing the students queuing to get into the school premises in the temple complex while going for my morning walk in Noida. I shall also be in touch with my cousin in my village in Bihar to find the change the act brings in quality of the teaching there. I don’t know how fast Sibal’s neighbourhood schools mentioned in the Act will come up, but there are many who are ushering a kind of revolution in education that gives hope. One such enterprise is Gyanshala, the school at the doorstep. Can’t the provisions in the Act become complimentary with gyanshalas or similar institutes?
दृष्टिकोण - Indra's Viewpoint 