| Universalisation of Elementary Education: Entitlement | | | | Vidayalaya (KGBV) were initiated in 2003. • |
| Imperative | | | | Parambhik Shiksha Kosh was created for a separate, |
| Dr. Gursharan Singh Kainth Director GAD Institute of | | | | dedicated non-lapsable fund to maintain by Ministry of |
| Development Studies 14-Preet Avenue, Majitha Road | | | | Human Resource Development, Department of |
| PO Naushera, Amritsar143 008 (Emails: ; ) | | | | Elementary Education and Literacy by imposing two |
| India is increasingly being recognized internationally as | | | | per cent cess on all direct and indirect taxes with |
| a knowledge hub, on the flip side only 10 per cent of | | | | effect from 2003-2004. |
| its total students strength is enrolled in higher | | | | Not withstanding the expectations set in the |
| education. Education is the most important element | | | | constitution to achieve UEE benchmark within ten |
| of growth and a critical input for investment in human | | | | years, it should be recognized that the country began |
| capital. It is indeed a fundamanetal right of every | | | | at an abysmally low-level in 1950 with respect to |
| Indian child to receive at least the basic education. | | | | adult literacy rates and participation of children in |
| India is in the process of transforming itself into a | | | | schooling. Since then the country has achieved |
| developed nation by 2010. Yet we have 350 million | | | | commendable success on the front of expansion of |
| people who need literacy and many more that have | | | | educational institution at different stages due to |
| to acquire employable skills to suit the emerging | | | | concerted and conscious endeavor of both central |
| modern India and the globe. Can we allow the | | | | and state governments. While at the dawn of |
| situation to continue in which million of these children | | | | independence, the literacy rate was 16.67 per cent |
| are forced into life long poverty? The need of the | | | | today, the literacy rate as per 2001 census is 65.38 |
| hour is that the parents should be able to go to any | | | | per cent (75.85 per cent for male and 64 per cent |
| nearby school, admit their wards and happily come | | | | for female). The increase of 13.2 percentage point in |
| back with the confidence that their kids will get good | | | | 2001 over 1991 is highest in a single decade since1901. |
| value based quality education in that school. The first | | | | The gender gap has also narrowed down from 28.84 |
| major international affirmation on Education for All | | | | percentage point in 1991 to 21.70 percentage points |
| (EFA) was at World Conference on Education in | | | | in 2001. Although the country has made significant |
| Jomtien (Thailand) in 1990 when 155 countries | | | | progress in improving the entry rates in grade-I and |
| including India resolved to Universalize Primary | | | | in enrolment ratio at primary level, the completion |
| Education and significantly reduce illiteracy by 2000. | | | | rates at both the primary (Grade-V) and upper |
| The conference adopted the vision that all children | | | | primary (Grade-VIII) are still very low. Out of 100 |
| have the fundamental right to basic education. Later | | | | children entering Grade-I in country, only about 61 |
| in the World Education Forum at Dakar Senegal | | | | reach Grade-V and only 45 Grade-VIII. This is despite |
| (2000) 164 countries including India reaffirmed the | | | | significant improvement in retention rates during |
| goal of education for all as laid out at Jomtien and | | | | 1980’s and the 1990’s. Low enrolment ratios |
| other international conferences. It urged | | | | at upper primary and secondary levels coupled with |
| Governments to achieve quality basic education for all | | | | high drop out rates even within the primary stages |
| by 2015 or earlier with emphasis on girls’ | | | | means low completion rates at various stages. |
| education. This was followed by the UN Millennium | | | | Recent study conducted by the human resource |
| Development Goal (MDG) 2000 which binds countries | | | | development ministry has found that out of every |
| to ensure that all children every where must | | | | two students enrolled in school drop out before |
| complete primary schooling by 2015. The right to | | | | reaching the ninth standard. Further the study reveals |
| basic education is spelled out explicitly in Article 26 of | | | | that one out of every four students does not go |
| Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The first | | | | beyond class five. By class eight the drop out rate |
| paragraph of Article 26 proclaims that: | | | | gets worse at 50.8 per cent. The decline in drop out |
| “Every one has the right to education, Education | | | | rates is only modest since 1990. The drop out rates |
| shall be free At least in the elementary and | | | | of scheduled caste (SC) and schedules tribes (ST) |
| fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be | | | | children declined marginally from 68 per cent and 79 |
| compulsory” | | | | per cent respectively in 1990-91 to 57 and 66 per |
| Education lays the foundation of a nation. It is | | | | cent in 2005. Furthermore, as many as 60 per cent |
| considered to be critical component in enhancing the | | | | of SC and 67 per cent of ST girls leave school |
| enjoyments of rights that we are entitled to and for | | | | without completing upper primary cycle of education, |
| overloading social and economic deprivation or | | | | compared to 51 per cent of girls from general |
| poverty. Education is important, but as a right and as | | | | category No doubt, government is striving to achieve |
| a means of promoting peace and respect for human | | | | universalisation of elementary education by 2010 by |
| rights. However much before these international | | | | confessed that one out of five teachers at primary |
| commitments and affirmations, India has begun its | | | | level was not attending class. UNESCO report Corrupt |
| journey towards Universal Elementary Education | | | | Schools, Corrupt Universities: What Can be Done has |
| (UEE). Independent India’s first Education Minister | | | | indicated that 25 per cent teacher’s absence |
| Mulana Abul Kalam Azad, in an educational conference | | | | rate at the primary school level. The government is |
| in 1948 remarked that: | | | | implementing Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (Education for |
| “it was the birth right of every individual to | | | | All) programme for UEE by augmenting availability of |
| receive at least the basic education without which he | | | | school infrastructure and improving the quality of |
| cannot fully discharge his duties as a citizen.” | | | | education in elementary schools, but the quality of |
| Struggle to achieve goal of Universal Elementary | | | | primary and elementary education is a matter of |
| Education in India began during the colonial period led | | | | great concern |
| by the rulers of some of the princely states and | | | | Chairing the meting of the Governing Council of the |
| national leadership involved in independent movement. | | | | National Mission for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Prime |
| Yet planned efforts in real terms with concerted | | | | Minister Dr Manmohan Singh expressed his deep |
| policy of mass education that ensures elementary | | | | concern over the high dropout rates of students at |
| education for all become a reality only after country | | | | primary and elementary levels. The drop rate at |
| got independence in 1947. More than 56 years ago in | | | | primary level is 34 per cent and that at elementary |
| 1950, the Indian Constitution emphatically stated that: | | | | level is 52.9 per cent. Describing this drop rate as |
| “State shall endeavor to provide free and | | | | unacceptability high, attributed to the lack of |
| compulsory education for all children up to 14 years | | | | adequate facilities, large scale absenteeism of |
| with in ten years- by 1960.” | | | | teachers and inadequate supervision by local |
| Regrettably where we are now? India has | | | | authorities. Reiterating the government’s |
| approximately half of the world’s illiterates. Why | | | | commitment to UEE, Dr Singh said, “We give |
| is Indian record so dismal? But this journey was long | | | | dates that has lost meaning. We need education for |
| and hard, as literacy and school participation rates | | | | all today”. Recognizing the importance of the |
| were very low at that point of time. Consider the | | | | right based approach to elementary education, Indian |
| educational situation in 1950’s. The overall literacy | | | | Parliament has recently enacted the constitution |
| rate was just 16.6 per cent (female literacy less than | | | | (86th Amendment) Act 2002. The amendment places |
| 9 per cent). The gross enrolment ratio at the primary | | | | a legal obligation on states to make elementary |
| stage (Grade-I to Grade-V covering 6 to 11 age | | | | education a fundamental right in India for children |
| groups) was only 42.6 per cent. At the upper primary | | | | between the age group of 6 to 14 years. This is |
| stage (Grade-VI to Grade-VIII in 11 to 14 age group), | | | | stated in Article 21(A) of the Amendments, which |
| only 1 out of 8 child was enrolled in schools, among | | | | reads as follows: |
| girls only 1 out of 20. Even those who enrolled in the | | | | “The states shall provide free compulsory |
| school, about two-third dropped out by Grade-V and | | | | education for all children aged between six to |
| four-fifth by Grade-VIII. The quality of education was | | | | fourteen years in such a manner as the state may, |
| poor and schooling facilities were dismal. Such was | | | | by law determine”. |
| the education scenario when India embarked on the | | | | The 86th constitutional Amendment can be seen as a |
| journey for attaining education for all children. | | | | major step in the direction of clearly defining the |
| The 1990’s witnessed very intensive level of | | | | entitlement of all children in the age groups of 6 to |
| activities on the elementary education front leading | | | | 14 years to formally receive at least eight years of |
| to substantial improvement in the participation of | | | | elementary education. Although Indian constitution |
| children and also in overall literacy figures. Probably | | | | always preceded this right in the form of Directive |
| buoyed by this improvement, Tenth Plan set very | | | | Principles (Article 45) of the Directive Principles of |
| stiff targets to achieve in terms of almost all | | | | State Policy of Indian Constitution, the Amendment |
| indicators National Policy on Education in 1965, 1986 | | | | has made at a justifiable right and hence a step |
| and 1992(modified) reiterated the resolve to achieve | | | | forward. However, the Act, which would define the |
| UEE. Also numbers of schemes and programme were | | | | entitlement in more concrete terms and also the |
| launched over the past 56 years especially after the | | | | boundaries of justifiability, is yet to be formulated |
| constitutional amendments in 1976 to include | | | | and passed by the Parliament. In the absence of |
| education in the concurrent list making it joint | | | | concrete measures in the right direction, the recent |
| responsibilities of the Union and the states. Some of | | | | 86th Amendment will remain rhetoric. But an act |
| the major schemes initiated were: | | | | alone cannot achieve the goals unless the education is |
| • Non-formal Education-1977 later revised as | | | | delivered in a manner which will take into account the |
| Education Guarantee Scheme and Alternative and | | | | socio-economic reality, and perception of people to |
| Innovative Education in 2000 for targeting out of | | | | whom it is addressed. Apart from attracting children |
| school children. • Operation Black Board (1987) for | | | | to schools, the education system should be able to |
| improving human and physical resources in schools. | | | | provide nourishment and inject creativity among the |
| • Teacher Education Scheme 1987 for teacher | | | | children. Also the aim of the education system should |
| teaching and providing academic support. • | | | | be to build character; human values enhance the |
| Mid-day-Meals Scheme (1995) to enhance nutritional | | | | learning capacity through technology and build the |
| status of students. | | | | confidence among the children to face the future. |
| • District Primary Education Programme (1994) for | | | | The challenge before us is not a small one. No nation |
| achieving Universal Primary Educations. • UNICEF | | | | can become strong when it ignores its most precious |
| assisted Janshala Programme (1988) for community | | | | natural resource- its people. No great cause is |
| participation in schools. • Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan | | | | achieved without even greater efforts. Thus is a |
| (SSA) was launched for achievement of UEE in | | | | great case- one that can ennoble each of us – |
| 2001-2002. • Indian Parliament enacted the | | | | just as the freedom movement ennobled those who |
| Constitutional 86th Amendment Act 2002 to make | | | | serve it. It is a cause that can be achieved only if |
| education a Fundamental right of every child. • To | | | | each of us plays a part, and it is a cause, that must |
| give impetus to girls education two programme, | | | | be achieved because the suture of our nation |
| National Programme for Education of Girls at | | | | depends on it. |
| Elementary level (NPEGEL) and Kasturba Gandhi Bal | | | | |