Commentary

Author: P N V Nair
Published in: FnB News on Tue, 2010-04-20

An analysis of the RTE Act and the roadblocks in its implementation including shortage of schools, lack of resources and prevalence of child labour.

Author: Jessica Seddon Wallack
Published in: The Financial Express on Mon, 2010-04-19

The Right to Education Act is exciting. But more for the next steps that it suggests than for the explicit promises it contains today. The Act does not yet guarantee an education, and challenges to its implementation go beyond the current headline debates about finances. 

Author: Anuradha Raman
Published in: Outlook on Sun, 2010-04-18

That the RTE Act is revolutionary in scope is not essentially in doubt. But whether India will keep its promise to its children will depend on tireless work in implementation and monitoring across all its little schools. 

Author: Ishani Duttagupta & Lisa Mary Thomson
Published in: The Economic Times on Sat, 2010-04-17

The new Act provides an opportunity to many private education providers to participate in the overall development of the country by including a larger section into the ambit of organised education and also provides an opportunity for government schools which haven’t been utilising their capacities, to pull up their socks.

Author: Madhav Chavan
Published in: DNA on Sat, 2010-04-17

The government will have to take drastic and urgent steps to ensure improved quality of education in government schools that focus on measurable outcomes. A beginning has been made, but a long and difficult road lies ahead for the Indian child.

Author: Nilotpal Basu
Published in: Deccan Herald on Thu, 2010-04-15

The plethora of education related reforms on the anvil such as the Right to Education Act, creation of the National Commission of Higher Education and Research and a national accreditation authority need close scrutiny.a

Author: Dhurjati Mukherjee
Published in: Central Chronicle on Wed, 2010-04-14

Though the Act is welcome, there is a need to investigate the real problems faced by schools in rural and backward areas and the possible scope for improvement. Apart from Government inspectors, whose efficiency and sincerity is very much in doubt, there is need to give some responsibility to the voluntary organizations at every block level to analyse the situation and suggest improvements.

Author: S. Viswanathan
Published in: The Hindu on Sun, 2010-04-11

If RTE is to become a success story, the central and State governments must address these issues with more seriousness so that equitable standard education can be provided in a hate-free, congenial, and progressive learning atmosphere in schools across the country. 

Author: A.K. Verma
Published in: Indian Express on Sat, 2010-04-10

Effective implementation of the law against this backdrop means heavy investment in primary education. The additional financial burden on states in implementing the Act could be mitigated through section 7(3), which requires the Centre to give a certain percentage of expenditure as grants-in-aid to states.

Author: Rasheeda Bhagat
Published in: The Business Line on Mon, 2010-04-05

 The Right  to Education Act will fumble and bumble through many an obstacle, some inherent and some deliberately created, but a beginning has been made.

Author: Annu
Published in: The Financial Express on Mon, 2010-04-05

Closing unrecognised schools can really be disastrous. The Act says the students of unrecognised schools will be accommodated in government schools, but we cannot put at stake the future of students who shifted to private schools due to poor quality. 

Author: Sunil Jain
Published in: Business Standard on Sun, 2010-03-14

While the government is working on rules to set up public private partnership schools as a means to see how it can increase private sector involvement in providing education to the underprivileged on the other, it is all set to virtually nationalise elementary education in the country through the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.

Author: B.C. Mehta & Kranti Kapoor
Published in: Counter Currents on Sat, 2010-03-06

An analysis of salient features of the RTE Act and related issues such as child labour, PPP in education, 25% quota, performance of teachers.

Author: Vimala Ramachandran
Published in: Education at Doorsteps on Tue, 2010-03-02

The real issue with the implementation of the RTE Act  is not only to do with money, but with the ability of the government to turn around the system. Providing funds to state governments is no doubt a necessary precondition, but it is not sufficient to realise the goal of universal elementary education.

Author: Parth J Shah
Published in: Pragati on Mon, 2010-03-01

The time has come to embrace the possibility of a world where government and private schools co-exist, complement each other, as well as compete to attract and retain all children under an equitable and transparent regulatory system.