Equality and Awareness has to be the core of Education: Swami Prasad Maurya
“A lot still needs to be done in the field of education. Our social structure is still facing inequality in terms of caste, class and region. We need to focus on equality and opportunity for quality education for all through Right to Education Act that became possible only because it was enshrined in the Indian Constitution by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar ”, these views were expressed by State Minister for Panchayti Raj, Swami Prasad Maurya. He was addressing the audience on a state level Stock Taking on the Implementation of Right to Education Act 2009 organised by SCoRE (State Collective for Right to Education) at Sangeet Natak Academy in Lucknow on December 23, 2011. He also praised the Collective’s effort towards facilitating marginalised communities to assert their rights through education.
Objective of the exercise was to undertake an assessment of the status of the provisions promised and committed to by the state based on certain parameters like School Management Committees, implementation status and redressal mechanisms under RTE, teachers recruitment and training, equal opportunity to children with disability, marginalised children, trafficked children and other additional parameters. There is a need of a wide ranging consultation involving civil society, children, community members who bring their voices on what is happening with regard to the Right To Education on the ground at school level from across 72 districts of Uttar Pradesh. The discussion was organised in order to initiate such consultaions.
The discussion was carried forward by a sharing of public hearings by the representatives from 9 districts of Uttar Pradesh. Farrukh Rahman Khan from Oxfam India shared the results and the findings of a brief assessment study that was carried by Oxfam India and Action Aid in nine districts of Uttar Pradesh.
Sharing her views on the status of education in rural areas, Indravati, a SMC member said “We don’t need meal or excellent infrastructure at school. What we need is quality education for all. Poor can develop only when they will be educated.”
As Ambarish Rai from People’s campaign on Common School System convened the discussion, a panel of experts including Ramakant Rai, Convener, National Coalition for Education, Anjela Taneja from National RTE Forum, Rajesh Kumar, State RTE Advisor, NCPCR (National Commission for Protection of Child Rights) expressed their views on the subject.
Representatives from several civil society organizations of different districts of Uttar Pradesh, School Management Committee members, teachers, community members, parents and network partners actively participated in the programme.
Story and Photo Credit: Rashmi Kala