Right to education: States want Centre to foot bulk of expense

After winning kudos, the Manmohan Singh government is facing demands from several states to pick up bulk of the multi-billion tab for implementing the landmark Right to Education Act for which teacher shortage and infrastructure are other key challenges.

A reality check has shown that that almost all state governments want the centre to increase its proposed share from 55% to between 75% and 90%.

Bihar and Arunachal Pradesh want the centre to provide 100% funds.

The states are however one with the centre to move forward in providing free and compulsory education to all children between the ages of 6 and 14, saying the new initiative was unique, welcome, revolutionary and long overdue.

The new law has come into force on April 1.

But funds to fix the education system in a historic initiative which will entail expenditure of Rs1.71 lakh crore for the next five years is creating some unease among the states.

States like Bihar want the centre to provide 100% funding.

Some states like the most populous state of Uttar Pradesh are seeking 90% funding while some want the centre's share to be increased to at least 75%.

The union government at present has mooted a centre-state fund sharing pattern of 55:45.

"The states lack sufficient resources to implement the Right to Education Act and it is the responsibility of the centre to meet cent per cent expenditure on this head," said Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar.

Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat have also expressed reservations about the huge financial burden the path-breaking legislation will entail for them.

However, states like Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh had no problem with the funding formula mooted by the centre.

"Maharashtra has no problem with this pattern (55-45)," said state school education minister Balasaheb Thorat.

States like Kerala are encountering a unique problem. The issue is of the minimum age limit of five years for the children to be admitted to the first standard.

Doubts were also expressed whether private schools will waive fees for 25% of the children.

A major challenge is meeting the shortage of five lakh teachers, state ministers said. The Ministers also said it will be ensured that child labourers are covered under RTE.