Shala Mitra Sangh

RTE (Amendment) Bill Gets Lok Sabha Nod

The Lok Sabha on Friday passed the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Bill allowing teachers appointed on or before March 31, 2015 to acquire minimum qualifications within a period of four years from the date of commencement of the Act.This gives the 8.5 lakh unqualified teachers, appointed after implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) law, another chance to get recognised degrees. The amendment bill gives them the final chance till March 2019 to get degrees or they may lose jobs.

When the RTE Act was implemented in 2010, new schools were set up but qualified teachers were not available and unqualified teachers, including those with graduation degrees, were recruited, HRD minister Prakash Javadekar said while piloting the Bill.

They were given five years to get qualified for their profession, he said. The bill was supported by K V Thomas of Congress. Still, six lakh private school teachers and 2.5 lakh government school teachers continue to educate without proper qualification, the minister added.

He said the recently-launched `Swayam’ portal and HRD ministry’s free-to-air DTH channels can help such teachers get educational material. Responding to views and suggestions made by various members during the de bate, the minister said the government is ready for dialogue on how to improve the quality of education, both inside and outside Parliament.

Arvind Sawant of Shiv Sena said while education is compulsory , it is necessary that standards are the same across the country , failing which, the law will not serve its purpose. B Mahtab of BJD demanded a separate budget for the RTE so that its progress could be ascertained.