Right to Education (RTE) Act 2009

Right to Education (RTE) Act 2009 Courtesy : (Text) S.D.Mishra Principal K.V.No.1, AFS, Gorakhpur KVS Patna Region

Right to Free & Compulsory Education • To every child of age 6 to 14 in a neighbourhood school from classes 1 to 8(Elementary Education). • Special provisions for children not admitted or who have not completed elementary education. • Right of transfer to other school.

Duties • Appropriate Government & Local Authority : To establish a school in neighbourhood within a period of three years of commencement of this act. • Sharing of financial & other responsibilities : Concurrent responsibility of the Central & State Governments for providing funds.

Duties • The Central Government • To develop framework of national curriculum. • To develop & enforce standards for training of teachers. • To provide technical support & resources to the state Governments.

Duties • Appropriate Government & Local Authority : • To provide free & compulsory education to every child of 6 to 14 years with re-imbursement of expenditures incurred upon on government schools. • Ensure that children belonging to weaker & disadvantaged sections are not discriminated against. • Ensure good quality education through proper infrastructure, quality teachers & learning equipments. • To also make necessary arrangement for providing free pre-school education for children above 3 years to prepare for elementary education. • Duty of Parents & Guardian : To get their ward admission to elementary education in the neighbourhood school.

Responsibilities of School • To provide free and compulsory elementary education to all children admitted. • To provide free & compulsory elementary education to weaker section and disadvantaged group to the extent of at least 25% of the strength of the class. • To provide such information as may be required by the appropriate Government or the local authority, as the case may be. • To take no capitation fee and no screening for admission. • Should not deny admission for lack of age proof though must ask for birth certificate issued by competent authority. • Should not hold back or expel any child from any class till the completion of elementary education. • Shall not subject any child to physical punishment or mental harassment.

Duties of Teachers: • To maintain regularity and punctuality in attending school. • To conduct and complete the curriculum. • To complete entire curriculum within the specified time. • To assess the learning ability of each child and accordingly supplement additional instructions, if any, as required. • To hold regular meetings with parents and guardians and apprise them about the regularity in attendance, ability to learn, progress made in learning and any other relevant information about the child. • To perform such other duties as may be prescribed. • Shall not engage in private tuition or private teaching activity.

Pupil Teacher Ratio • For classes I to V - 30:1 (till 120 students) - 40:1 ( from 121 to 200 students) One-Head Teacher + Five Teachers (for above 150 students) In any case : pupil teacher ratio shall not exceed 40:1 • For Classes VI to VIII - 35:1 • At least One Teacher per Class, One from Science and Mathematics, Social-Studies and languages each. • Full time Head Teacher and part time Instructors for Art education, Health & Physical Education and Work Education.

Curriculum and Completion of Elementary Education • To conform with values enshrined in the Constitution. • For all round development of the child. • To build child's knowledge, potentiality and talent. • To develop physical and mental abilities. • To ensure learning through activities, discovery and exploration in a child friendly and child centered manner. • To Instruct as far as practicable in child’s mother tongue. • To make the child free of fear and anxiety and helping the child to express views freely. • Comprehensive and Continuous Evaluation (CCE) of child’s understanding of knowledge and his/her ability to apply the same.

Examination and Completion Certificate • No child shall be required to pass any Board examination till completion of elementary education. • Every child completing his elementary education shall be awarded a certificate, in such form and in such manner, as may be prescribed.

Norms and Standards for a School • Building : • At least one class-room for every teacher and an office-cum-store-cum-Head teacher’s room. • Barrier-free access. • Separate toilets for boys and girls. • Safe and adequate drinking water facility to all children. • A kitchen where mid-day meal is cooked in the school. • Playground.

Norms and Standards for a School (Contd.) Minimum number of working days/instructional hours in an academic year • Two hundred working days for first class to fifth class. • Two hundred and twenty working days for sixth class to eight class. • Eight hundred instructional hours per academic year for first class to fifth class. • One thousand instructional hours per academic year for sixth class to eighth class.

Norms and Standards for a School(Contd.) Minimum number of working hours per week for the teacher : • Forty-Five teaching including preparation hours. Teaching learning equipment : • Shall be provided to each class as required. Library : • There shall be a library in each school providing newspaper, magazines and books on all subjects, including story-books. Play material, games and sports equipment : • Shall be provided to each class as required.

TOWARDS NEW FRONTIERS WITH

THEBACKGROUND • RTE Act 2009 has been • implemented in KVS • w. e. f. the year 2010-11 as applicable under specified category 2(n)(iii) and (p).

THE RATIONALE

Admission Norms • As per Chapter IV 12(I) – The KVs shall admit in Class I: • admission to be granted for the children under RTE Act as per admission guidelines. • At least 25% of the strength of that class children belonging to weaker section and disadvantaged group in the neighbourhood • No screening test to be conducted from Class I to VIII • selection process should be random (draw of lot). • children suffering from disability will also be covered under RTE Act

THESUPPORTS • provide free and compulsory elementary education till its completion. • No fee to be charged from the children admitted under 25% of the quota • one set of NCERT text books for his/her class to each child will be provided by the school and other expenses on account of note books, stationary, uniform and transport will be reimbursed by the parent on production of proper bills, as specified by MHRD • No children to be detained in any class up to 8thstandard • The transfer certificate may not be insisted for admission up to Class VIII.

ENSURING RIGHTS • The protection of Right of children to be ensured • NATIONAL& STATE LEVELS-The Right to Education Protection Authority (RIEPA) has been constituted at National and State level to monitor • VIDYALAYA LEVEL-Every school is advised to form a committee to protect the child rights at Vidyalaya level. • No corporal punishment is to be imposed on any child.

ADVOCACY • CENTRALISED • The Directors, ZIETs are requested to ensure the inclusion of modules on RTE Act during In-service course programmes • LOCAL- • The Chairman, VMC of every school may be requested to convene a special meeting at school level to sensitize all the stakeholders on RTE Act • Adequate training to be provided for the teachers on the act. • The parent advocacy programme on RTE act may be taken up in every school.

THE EXPECTATION • All possibilities should be explored at individual or organization level to extend a helping hand to every child so that no hindrance comes in his/her way in getting education. • It is a collective responsibility of the educators, officers, principals, teachers, parents’ management and children to implement the RTE Act in letter and spirit.

THE SPIRIT OF RTE FROM.. THROUGH.. EDUCATIONFOR ALL TO..

THECALL…. R- REACH OUT T-TO E-EMPOWER

Right to Education (RTE) Act 2009