Historic failure if RTE not implemented across country: HRD Minister

Voicing concern over big states dithering on Right to Education provisions, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal today said that it will be a "historic failure" if the Act is not implemented across the country. "It will be a historic failure, if we have passed the Act but not implemented," Sibal said at a function here while referring to some states, which have not notified RTE rules as yet.

The legislation was enacted last year and so far, 20 states have notified RTE rules. However big states such as Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, West Bengal have not implemented them.

Sibal was addressing the state education ministers about ways to promote and create awareness across the country about the benefits of the RTE Act. A nation-wide campaign would be launched from Nuh, Mewat in Haryana from November 11 for promoting RTE across schools. A message by Prime Minister about RTE to every head teacher of the school will be read out at the school assembly.

The campaign would be taken up in all 13 lakh schools across the country, the Minister said. The states who have implemented RTE get central assistance for opening neighbourhood schools and other supporting infrastructure. West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu told reporters that his state would be notifying the RTE rules by November end.