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NGO activists and educationists will place their demands in Mantralaya; to stress on implementation of the Common School system (CSS) and to oppose ‘commercialisation’ of education, the yatra began on January 23
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EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE
NEARLY 40 years after the Common School System (CSS) was recommended by the Kothari Commission on education (1964-66), equal, inclusive and free education remains a distant dream even today.To stress on implementation of the CSS and to oppose ‘commercialisation’ of education, the National Alliance for the Fundamental Right to Education (NAFRE) in association with Child Relief and You (CRY) began a nationwide yatra on January 23. In each of the 19 states where the yatra was conducted, regional segments voiced local needs and put their demands before the government.
The yatra covered 32 districts in Maharashtra where apart from CSS, it focused on problems related to right to health, livelihood, and Farmers’ land rights etc. On March 10, the yatra will come to Mumbai, where NGO activists and educationists will place their demands in the Mantralaya. Arun Kumar, general manager, (youth), CRY explained, “Through the yatra, we try to draw attention to the local problems and how they eventually impact children of that area. The division between government schools and private schools is responsible for creating, sustaining and reproducing inequality. Education cannot be treated as a commodity.” This is the second ‘CSS’ yatra that NAFRE is conducting. The first one was conducted in 2003. CRY is one of the organisations working under NAFRE that comprises over 2000 NGOs across India. Some of the suggestions in the Kothari commission include quality education to all, increase in budgetary allocation for education, maximum emphasis on primary and elementary education, among others. According to Anil James, deputy general manager (development sector) CRY, lack of political will, economic differences in society, the poor quality of education in state run schools, and lack of priority for education are the primary reasons for the failure of CSS implementation. “The yatra is being conducted to remind the government of the Kothari commission report that is lying dormant since years.” Arun Kumar said, “In France, US and china, the Scandinavian countries, the CSS works successfully albeit some variations. When children belonging to different classes of the society attend the same schools in the neighbourhood, it works in the inter est of the schools and eventually improves the quality of schools.” Meera Isaacs, principal of Cathedral and John Connon school said, “The system may work well if the government makes the necessary provisions. But considering the condition of the state run schools, it seems difficult.” SS Shinde, deputy municipal commissioner, education, agreed that there was need to reduce the widening gap between private and government schools by improving the quality of the latter. “It is difficult to stop the proliferation of private schools. The government should be in a position to provide good quality education,” he added. URL: http://epaper.indianexpress.com/artMailDisp.aspx?article=10_03_2008_525_002&typ=1&pub=320 |
IE: Nationwide yatra by NAFRE: March 08, 2008
Nationwide yatra by NAFRE, CRY to reach city today