On the right path

Free and compulsory education is one of our most important directive principles of state policy. Until now, though, it has been more a hope and promise than fact. The right to education bill, just passed by both houses of Parliament and due to become law, will at last take us on the primary road to progress. We have tended in recent years to be obsessed with higher education but the sad fact is that it is at the primary and secondary levels that our biggest problems lie.

Schemes like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan and mid-day meals have managed to increase and retain school-going children in some areas with limited success but the right to education bill, which was put together with help from educationists and NGOs, “puts into effect free and compulsory education to all children six to 14 years”. This includes a Rs10000 fine for anyone who prevents a child from getting education or employs a child, no fees or charges, no selection process and no physical punishment. The bill also envisages one classroom per teacher, separate toilets for girls and boys, access to drinking water and facilities for the differently abled.

There are several other provisions which look at school management, accountability, records and so on, all of which show that some thought has gone into the drafting. All of which is undoubtedly welcome. But the challenge after this is to ensure implementation. Several NGOs have objected to the bill in its current form, prominent amongst which appear to be that the private sector will benefit the most, that children between the ages of three and six will be neglected and that education standards remain dismal.

However, while all these may well be true, it is also true that so far, with no compulsory education, we are in a worse than dismal situation. The bigger problem appears to be a lack of clarity on Centre-state funding, which is where many of our bigger ideas come a cropper. India spends about 3 per cent of its GDP on education — of which only 1.8 is on secondary education — which is low by most standards.

Right now, it is almost as if we are beginning at the beginning. There are many things wrong with education and certainly this bill will not solve all of them. But it can set us on the right path. Obviously, as problems emerge, they will have to be tackled. For the moment, we have crossed a much-needed milestone.