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The organising secretary of the All-India Forum for Right toEducation, D. Ramesh Patnaik, has expressed fears that themuch-debated legislation that promises universal education mightend up facilitating greater commercialisation of education. Speaking at a seminar here on Friday, organised by KarnatakaJanashakti, he cited several provisions in the Right to Education(RTE) Act — such as paying for seats under quota in privateschools rather than focusing on providing quality education ingovernment schools — that could be "excuses" forthe government to disown responsibility. Recounting the Andhra Pradesh experience of sponsoring highereducation of students from economically weaker sections by fundingtheir fees in private colleges, he said the public-privatepartnership model had ended up taking away 40 per cent of the totalfunding for higher education. "This is a way of diverting taxpayers' money to private institutions, rather than strengtheningpublic institutions," he said. Capitation fee He said the law, while banning capitation fee, had given it anambiguous definition. "It defines capitation fee as‘any kind of donation or contribution or payment other thanthe fee notified by the school.' This only means that schools cannotify high fees, under other heads, at the time ofadmission," Mr. Patnaik pointed out. He said the Act did not pay attention to preventing dropout rate orushering in a common school system with equitable opportunities forall. The Act also did not include secondary and preschooleducation, which amounted to leaving out two crucial chunks of theeducational process, he added. Mr. Patnaik welcomed the recent Supreme Court judgment forupholding the constitutional validity of the RTE Act and theparallel responsibility of private institutions in impartinguniversal primary education. However, he expressed concern over theapex court accepting the argument that lack of funds could bereason for the State to transfer responsibility. Greater segregation? G. Ramakrishna, writer and editor of Hosatu , said all the focus on providing reservation in private schoolswas a ploy to eventually close down government schools. He wonderedif such a system would lead to greater segregation of children oncaste and class lines within the classroom. ‘Broader vision needed' H.V. Vasu, State convener of the Karnataka Janashakti, warnedagainst the struggle for equitable education getting restricted tothe RTE Act and the debate around reservation of 25 per cent seatsin private schools. "The vision should be broader," hesaid. I am an expert from chinadrillingequipment.com, while we provides the quality product, such as Top Head Drive Drilling System , Geological Drilling Rig Manufacturer, Core Drilling Rig,and more.
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