TN students cut a sorry figure
Ibnlive, 19 February 2012

CHENNAI: In Tamil Nadu, 99 among 100 children in the age group of 6 to 14 are enrolled in schools. Yet, half of the class III, IV and V students cannot read a simple four-sentence paragraph in Tamil meant for class I. Nor can 45.9 per cent of class I students recognize numbers. These pointers to the appalling quality of education were revealed at the release of Annual Status of Education Report (ASER), 2011, held here on Saturday. The ASER 2011 survey, conducted by the Pratham Education Foundation, tested 26,350 rural students in 29 districts of the state for their reading and arithmetic capabilities. In both parameters, the state fell short of the national average, performing better only than Bihar when it comes to reading abilities of Class I-II students.

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In School, barely literate - Status of education report ranks Jharkhand way below Bihar
The Telegraph, 18 February 2012

Ranchi, Feb. 18: Out of 10 children in Classes I and II at the state-run schools of Jharkhand, five can’t recognise numbers and alphabets, according to Annual Status Educational Report (ASER) 2011. Union minister for human resource development Kapil Sibal released the report in New Delhi last month. NGO Pratham, which facilitated it, gave state-wise tabulations to reveal how, after more than two years of the Right to Education Act (2009) which promised compulsory education to all children between 6 and 14 years, primary schoolchildren were actually faring in class.

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SoBo's dark secret
Mid Day, 19 February 2012

South Mumbai's tony A Ward might be the most posh locality in the city, where the rich and famous live, but as many as 2,699 children between three and 16 years do not have access to schools. Many of these kids also work to support their families. South Mumbai's tony A Ward is probably the most posh neighbourhood in the city, but scratch a little and its dark underbelly will come spilling out. An ongoing survey has revealed that nearly 2,699 children in the age group of 3 and 16 years in the locality do not attend schools, and an approximate number of 215 within the group suffer from some form of disability. Many of these children also work to support their families.

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Let demand determine education in India
The Morang Express, 19 February 2012

The Right to Education Act aims to provide free and compulsory education of good quality to all children between 6 and 14 years of age. Between 2004, when the education cess was imposed, and 2010, when the RTE Act came into force, rural Indian school enrolment increased from about 93.4% to 96% but school attendance has remained low at a national average of 75%. Northern states such as Rajasthan, UP, Bihar lag way below this average while Himachal, Punjab, and the southern states have consistently shown an attendance of about 90%.

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The limitations of the Right to Education
Livemint, 16 February 2012

Not all government schools are bad. Similarly, not all private schools are good. But low-cost private schools are the ones that can help reduce the education gap in India. The RTE Act could effectively shut down these schools. The recent press reports on the state of Indian education have been depressing. The government responds to these in the same, standard way—it picks holes in the analysis, deflects accountability, says that the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act will solve all these problems, etc. The intention of the RTE Act is good—every child in India aged 6-14 has the fundamental right to education.

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Will wait indefinitely for conversion of unclaimed RTE seats: School body
ExpressIndia, 20 February 2012

Chandigarh Contrary to its last week’s communication to the UT Administration, the Independent School’s Association (ISA), on Sunday, decided to await the conversion of unclaimed seats reserved for less priviledged children under the Right to Education (RTE)Act 2009 into general, a little longer. However, ISA has not specified any “deadline” for the conversion, this time. In a communication sent to the DPI (Schools) last week, ISA President, H S Mamik, had stated that the department must provide clarity on child-mapping survey, notification of reimbursements by Central government, clearance of last year’s reimbursements and filling the government school nursery seats first, by February 20.

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Centre calls state education ministers to set reform agenda
Livemint, 20 February 2012

Meeting will also debate the need to bring skills education in schools as well as the implementation of the RTE Act. New Delhi: The Union government has called a meeting of state education ministers to build consensus around its plans for education reforms before the 12th Five-Year Plan kicks off in a couple of months. On the agenda for discussion is a proposal to introduce a common entrance exam for all science and engineering colleges and another to start community colleges on the lines of those in the US and Canada. The meeting called by human resource development (HRD) minister Kapil Sibal on Wednesday will also debate the need to bring skills education in schools as well as the implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act across the country, as per ministry documents.

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Banning term-time days off is not the answer to truancy
The Guardian, 20 February 2012

Yes, missing school is damaging, but we should let parents take a few days out while cracking down on unauthorised absence. One morning when I was about seven my dad packed us all into the car for school as he did every other school day of the year. It was just an ordinary morning until my mum got in the car as well and they announced that we were all – including my dad, who would usually have gone straight to work after the school run – bunking off and going to Whipsnade safari park for the day.

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Teachers’pay and pupil performance
Authors: Dolton, P and Marcenaro-Gutierrez, O
CentrePiece Autumn, 2011

If you pay peanuts, do you get monkeys? If teachers were better paid and higher up the national income distribution, would there be an improvement in pupil performance? Peter Dolton and Oscar Marcenaro-Gutierrez examine the enormous variation in teachers’ pay across OECD countries and its significance for educational outcomes. The most comprehensive sources of comparative information about teachers in different countries are the OECD’s annual ‘Education at a Glance’ reports. These publications provide information on starting salaries, salaries after 15 years of teaching experience and salaries at the top of the profession.

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Right to Education Act in India – Dr Gursharan Singh Kainth
Well-suited to familiarity has been universally recognized owing to the daily preference of Human Rights {though referred to by the International Labour job (ILO) owing to primordial owing to 1920s} notoriety 1948, also have over been sound or mind by several legally necessary international covenants besides conventions over absolutely whereas otherwise central constitutions also up plans. Click here to read more

The Educational System in Nalanda: Part 1
Nalanda has been a name in itself for being one of the most famous global seats of learning in the ancient times. With the latest initiatives by the State Government, the establishment of New International Nalanda University under the mentorship of Prof. Amartya Sen is an attempt to reaffirm its long lost glory. Click here to read more

The Educational System in Nalanda: Part 2
In light of inefficient government schools in India, private schools play a significant role in imparting quality education. Especially in district headquarter towns and urban areas, private schools become an obvious choice for parents who want quality education for their wards. Click here to read more

To initiate and continue the discussion amongst concerned groups and individuals on the issue of right of education and monitor the implementation
of the RTE Act, an RTE Coalition has been formed. Join the coalition to make universal elementary education a reality in India.

Log on to www.righttoeducation.in
for more information

Skill Vouchers - Global Experiences and Lessons for India

Leah Verghese and Parth J Shah

A study of the role that skill vouchers can play in catalysing demand for quality skill development services. This study examines global experiences with skill vouchers and draws lessons for India from these experiences.

For more click here

Reservation in Private Schools under the Right to Education Act: Model for Implementation

Shekhar Mittal and Parth J Shah

Through this document the Centre for Civil Society seeks to highlight the lacunae in the current framework for 25% reservation for weaker and disadvantaged groups in unaided private schools and seeks to provide inputs on effective implementation of the same.

For more click here

School Vouchers for Girls

400 girl children from poor families of North East Delhi receive school vouchers for a period of 4 years.
For details visit our website

For more details on how to support, log on to www.schoolchoice.in or email us at [email protected]

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