CPI-M wants scope of Right to Education Act expanded

The CPI(M) today said the scope of Right to Education Act be expanded to cover children below six to 18 years of age and not just those between six and 14 years as stipulated in the Act and asked the Centre to bear the full financial burden of enforcing the law.
    
"The coverage of the Right to Education should be expanded to include children between below six years of age and 18 years and the Centre should provide 100% of the funds to enforce the law," CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury said here.
    
Speaking at a convention of teachers' here, Yechury said the provision of central assistance to the tune of 55% and the state's contribution of 45% should also be changed so that it bears 100% of the funding to implement the law".
    
He said the party had asked the Centre for making the necessary amendments to the Act. It was not accepted in Parliament.
    
He also said that CPI(M) would resist Centre's "attempts" to privatise education.
    
The Right to Education Act came into force on April 1 providing free and compulsory schooling to children in the 6-14 age group.