A Convention to Monitor the ‘RTE Act Progress’ Held at New Delhi

Minister for Women & Child Development, Smt. Krishna Tirath, inaugurated a two day National Convention on ‘Three Years of Completion of the RTE (Right to Education) Act" in New Delhi.

While addressing the inauguration of the Convention Smt. Tirath said that it is government’s responsibility to supply and ensure free and elementary education granted to all children falling in age group of 6 to 14 years. She added that the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and that for states (SCPCRs) should adhere to the monitoring of out-of-school children in order to bring them to school by helping them to access it. The children of this category would either be dropped out or those who never enrolled. The children who are temporarily absent or those who are permanent migrants or who migrate seasonally with their parents may also fall under this ‘out-of-school’ category on whom focus need to be maintained.

 Shri R. Bhattacharya, Secretary, Education and Literacy said on the event that substantial progress with regard to meeting the standards prescribed in the schedule of the RTE Act has been made by the states and UTs.

He added that most qualified habitations in the country are being provided with neighborhood schools, residential schools and transportation facilities to provide access to elementary education by proclaiming the facts that 98% of the habitation in this country has elementary schools within 1 km and 92% have access to upper primary schools within 3 km of their locations.

 Chairperson NCPCR Ms. Kushal Singh welcomed all the delegates and urged all the participants to bring constructive ideas by participating in the discussions to make the Convention meaningful and successful.

The other speakers on the occasion include Mr. Louis-Georges Arsenault, Country Representative, UNICEF and Dr. Narendra Jadhav, Member, Planning Commission.

The Convention was organized jointly by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and UNICEF which witnessed around 300 participants associated with the implementation of RTE Act and other stakeholders from different parts of India, who came and participated in the convention.