Right to Education Act – Importance and Responsibilities

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act is one of the significant laws passed in India that seeks to ensure education to every single child within the age of 6 to 14. This blog post will thus discuss the main features of the RTE Act, why it was deemed necessary to pass the Act and how it has impacted Indians’ quest to access quality schooling. Thus, using the data from trusted sources, it is possible to provide a clear and easily understandable overview of this important law.

What is this Right to Education Act?

The RTE act was passed in December 2009 and came into force from 1st April 2010 formulated by the Indian Parliament. This Act protects the right of every child and provide the government with the responsibility to ensure every child in reception class is given quality elementary education and that each child of the required age must be in school. It also makes it mandatory for private school to give 25 per cent of the total strength of a classroom to children from economically weaker section.

Some of the Rights Provided by RTE Act

Free and Compulsory Education:

The RTE Act ensures right to education for children in the age group of six years to fourteen years without any cost. Compulsory education entails that, the government has the responsibility of ensuring children take through school.

Neighbourhood Schools:

This Act requires that children ought to be in a school which they can access in their neighbourhood. To achieve this, it seeks to ensure that children do not have to cover large distances in their bid to access school.

Inclusive Education:

Certainly, in accordance with Right to Education Act or RTE, private schools were bound to keep 25% of their intake capacities for students belonging to the socially and economically backward classes. This inclusion seeks to reduce disparity in educational needs of people due to socio-economic status.

Quality Education:

This, the Act now requires quality education to be provided to the learners. All in all, it aims at laying down qualifications for teachers, Pupil Teacher Ratio, and physical facilities to support conducive learning environment.

Prohibition of Discrimination:

This means that the Act denies discrimination of children coming from the weaker sections of the society, and provides equal status for all the children.

Need for Right to Education Act

Universal Access to Education:

Coming to its impact on enrolment, the RTE Act has brought up enrolment rates particularly of girl child and children belonging to the vulnerable groups. It has helped a large number of children to get education who were barred from its years ago.

Empowerment:

Knowledge is not just the accumulation of mass data as it empowers persons and societies. RTE act is such a legal provision that has remained beneficial to children by ensuring that they are taught what can enhance their status as well as make them responsible citizens.

Quality Improvement:

The enactment of RTE Act has also created certain yard sticks in school infrastructures, teacher qualification and methods of teaching thus helping in improving the quality of education in India.

Economic Development:

Education also plays a very important role in economic development, since all children are provided with quality education, the act fosters the emergence of a skilled labour force, which boosts the economy.

Social Inclusion:

The 25% quota for economically weaker section in private schools has helped in the process of integration has brought about opportunities for children from deprived backgrounds get good education.

Which Right to Education Prohibits

Discrimination:

Section three of the RTE Act bans discriminating children belonging to economically weaker sections of the society and the socially and economically disadvantaged communities. From this listing, a number of areas where the community school is mandated to provide equality of opportunities to all children irrespective of their parent’s wealth status is noted.

Private Tuition by Teachers:

No employee of a school is allowed to offer extra lessons to students. This is as a way of protecting teachers and ensure they deliver their duties on the classroom keeping on mind the important of providing quality education to every learner.

Screening Procedures for Admission:

The Act requires that all forms of screening for children admission in school should not be tolerated. This guarantees that no child is left out of learning because of their gender, origin, colour or any other underprivileged status in the society.

Corporal Punishment:

Under the Act, cases of corporal punishment to students in school arenol allowed. This is in order to eliminate childhood menace especially fear and physical violence hence ensuring that children have a conducive learning environment.

Capitation Fees:

Schools are not allowed to charge capitation fees as prohibited by the Act. This accentuates equal opportunities of quality education for all children, particularly to children from the economically weaker background.

Conclusion

Among all the drafted laws, the Right to Education Act is one of the best efforts to provide equality and quality education for all children in India. In spite of some of the problems that have been created by the Act, its overarching benefits cannot be disputed. Instead, if the current challenges are tackled effectively and if constant improvement is the general aim, then the universal education dream can finally be achieved.

Education therefore is not only a right but more importantly a means for social and economic change. This new legislation called the RTE Act has actually paved the way for making millions of children in India having a much brighter future. Finally, the task lies at the door steps of the government, educators, parents and other communities to take the foundation laid and make sure that every child achieves their deserved education.

FAQS:

Q 1. What are the basic features of Right to Education Act?

Some of the basic features of the RTE are:

Children in age group 6 to14 should be provided free and compulsory education.

Until elementary education is completed, despite exam and detention but this (in the form of criticisms to the Act – as we saw above) has been an amendment.

It therefore, results into a legal mandate to the governments of giving education

It also requires private schools to reserve 25% of seats for EWS and disadvantaged groups.

Q 2. What is the age limit for RTE?

The Act gives all children from the age of six years to fourteen years of age a right to free education.

Q 3. What is Article 21 of the Constitution?

Article 21 can be considered as one of the most important articles and addresses the right to life and personal liberty. The data sharing is as a result a basic human right that must be respected. For more information visit Right to Life (Article 21) – Indian Polity Notes.

Q 4. What is the importance of the right to education?

The right to education is a very important chronological movement towards realization of all other basic human rights. Education can change poverty rates, inequalities, women’s and other minorities’ status, discrimination, and can make all the persons in the world to reach their human potential. It assists to enhance the chances of getting a better life in the aspect of employment besides expanding business ventures. And it can also lead to all round development of a particular region, including the aspect of peace. Thus, education is yet an influential right among all the rights in the society.