Sunday, October 21, 2007

My right: Universal elementary education

elementeducation eleeducat



The god has created this wonderful universe. In this universe he/she has sent human to live. In human he/she has inserted an organ named brain. The brain generates ideas, these come from knowledge and finally knowledge can be gather only and only by education. Thus education is a basic fundamental need of human to live natural life.

In future, India is going to be largest population hub of world। Are we providing our new born brains that knowledge which they deserve? �My Right� deals with this aspect of future's India. Right to education has become fundamental right in Indian statues books in 2002, as once Indian parliament had given its approval to 86 th constitutional amendment in 2002 under article 21A of constitution. According to this every Indian child 6-14 year of age has fundamental right to free and compulsory education. Additional to this government of India has introduced a bill called �Right to education bill 2005�, which deal with early age child care and education for all children until they acquired the age of six. It also says that, it is the fundamental duty of every Indian parent to provide equal opportunities to his/her children of age of 6-14years to get education.

Please look into this for my sake.

Population (6-14years)

226204139

Below poverty line Population(6-14 years)

56573568 (25%)

Total of students(primary)

149400000

Number of schools (primary)

664041

Number of teachers(primary)

2900000

Teacher/students ratio

40/teacher

Children not able to attend the school (primary)

76804139(33.9%)

%of girls out of school

39%

Expenditure on education

4.02% GDP

Source: census 2001&: UNICEF statistical yearbook

What are the reasons behind this all?

  1. 25% of Indian population still live below poverty line means lor/day . ( appox. 26 cores people ). For them food is theirs first priority, out of total 226204139 population (6-14 year age group) 56573568 are from below poverty line families. To keep them with studies needs extra motivated approach, which missing today in national education system.
  2. The low adoption of modern education system by Muslims.

India is a multi religions nation.

1. % of religion based population 2. %of illiteracy among 6-14year

education1

education2

Source: census 2001 Source: census 2001

Above facts clearly tell the whole tale itself. 30.8% of my Muslim friends are remaining illiterate in target age for universal elementary education campaign (6-14 year). This is highest among all religious population in India. It is largely because, Muslims prefer theirs religious education over modern education.

  1. Gender biasness.

The Indian society is fully male dominant. The gender equation always tilts towards male section of society, decline sex ratio; numbers of women in different parts of society to government position is clear cut message of biasness towards women in my part of world. This is also a hurdle in making my school/class fully humane. (Where every child of age 6-14 year can attend it

without any consideration of caste, creed, religion and gender).Please go through it. After making every girl child into school/class room, then and only than we can see education for all in real sense.


primary schoolenrollment rate

Primary completion rates

Youth illiteracy Rate (% of people aged 15-24)

Male

91

85

20.3

Female

76

69

35.2

Source: world Bank

  1. Urban based education system.

Education system of India is urban centric, Every financial capable Indian parent want to send theirs kids to these urban schooling, so big gap has been created in favors of urban because all good schools, educational institutions and universities are based in urban areas.

Who is caring for me?

The education in India is subject of all and none to responsibility. As per Indian constitution education fall in concurrent list, which mean federal and state governments has its say on this all important subject of human development. Following are my care takers.

1. Federal government.

2. State government.

3. International agencies (united nations)

4. Private sectors.

What are being done for me sake?

  1. Sarv shiksha abhiyan( Indian universal elementary education campaign )
  2. Mid day meal programme ( food for education launched in 1995 and revised in 2004)
  3. District Primary Education Programme ( launched in November, 1994 to overhauling the primary education system in India)
  4. Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya ( Setting up unto 750 residential schools with boarding facilities at elementary level for girls belonging predominantly to the SC, ST, OBC and minorities in difficult areas . )
  5. Programme of Mobilizing Local Support to Primary Schools (PLUS) ( launched in 2004 to get additional local resources by local support.)
  6. 86 th constitutional amendment in 2002 under article 21A of constitution. (every Indian child 6-14year of age has fundamental right to free and compulsory education)
  7. Right to education bill 2005. (Early age child care and education for all children until they acquired the age of six.)

What I require?

As above stated programmes and schemes are being run by different federal and state governments agencies for me but still I am not able to reach school yet. So to get me enroll in school, I require following.

  1. One teacher for 15 students

education3

Students/teacher ratio Source : UNESCO

Above pictorial facts show that developed nations has always less Students/teacher ratio as compare to developing side, but some developing nations has achieved shoulder to shoulder with developed ones like China, Iraq etc. As identical to China, I require one teacher for 19 students of my class.

  1. One School in one kilometer radius.

India has 2973190sq.km Land area. AS one school with in one kilo meter radius need approximately 2000000 primary schools, where as only 664041 schools are for me. This clearly means 1335959 more schools I require to get my education near to my home.

  1. Free education for all

As per 86 th constitutional amendment has ensured me free and compulsory education (6-14year age). But in practical rural India and some urban, it is too implemented in true sprit.

  1. Common education system across India.

As in India education is subject for all but responsibility of none, because there is not a uniform education system in nation. This has made me more vulnerable when I have to move around nation in my 6-14 year's child hood. So I need a common education system across the nation to make me easy at every part of country as same.

  1. Education in my mother tongue

Language is the first barrier which a child has to face in his/her school entrance in India. If it is removed than I may really not fear to attend my school as I do now. Which in latter becomes substantial reason of my drop out from schools.

Where lay my future?

My future is lying in your hands. The world fraternity has pledged in April 2000 at Dakar (Senegal), education for all unto 2015 A.D. Where as my Indian education planners has set 2010A.D for me to be in school/class room. Last not the least is my humble request to all who are concerned with this mission � education for all� that kindly look into above plight, so that my right for universal elementary education will be available to my every brethren and sisters at the time of theirs birth.

Plighted by
An Indian child of 1967