Goa govt implementing RTE selectively: NGO

A civil society group has questioned state education department's wisdom in selectively implementing Right to Education (RTE) act in Goa by allowing blanket `no detention' (no failing) for the students till the eighth standard.
    
Recently, Goa education department issued a circular saying that no student would be failed in annual exams up to the standard 8th, as contemplated by the RTE.
    
`We The People', an NGO, has said that education ministry should have implemented section 16 of the act (which deals with no detention till standard 8th) only after proper evaluation of the students.
    
NGO's president, Pravin Faldesai, today alleged that government had an eye on parents' votes in  the coming Legislative Assembly elections, so it put in force this particular provision.
    
"Ignoring the entire act, only one section which deals with the no-detention of the students was examined by the government. It is incomprehensible and absolutely illegal," he said.
    
Other provisions of the RTE, like ban on capitation fee and screening tests for students, prohibition of deployment of teachers for non-educational purposes, etc. had been given a go-by, he said.