By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Government is all set to implement the Right to Education (RTE) Act in the State by the end of 2013 even as the GIS mapping for the purpose has already been completed.
Informing this here on Monday, an official of the State Education Department said the Department would table the draft in the upcoming session of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly starting next month for approval.
It may be mentioned that the State Cabinet in the month of June had approved the draft proposal for free and compulsory education to children from six years to fourteen years.
According to the official, the State Government will soon seek financial assistance of Rs 50 crore from Asian Development Bank (ADB) for improvement of the infrastructure in schools. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, which was passed by Parliament in August 2009, provides for free and compulsory education as a fundamental right of every child in the 6-14 age group and earmarks 25 per cent seats to children from economically weaker sections in private schools.
However, the biggest concern for the State Government is the huge backlog of untrained teachers and to break the shackles the State Government is planning to provide diploma training to 5524 teachers.
“Training of teachers would begin from the next academic session,” the official said.
Reacting to a query whether schools have to have certificate of recognition as per Section 11 of the Act, the official said “an order has been issued and the process of recognition has already started” and added that this recognition is mandatory for private schools also.”
The official also said the Social Welfare Department will have to constitute the State Commission of Protection of Child Rights as per Section 24 of the Act.