Audit on RTE Act, 2009

21st March, 2016

Audit on RTE Act, 2009

RTE act, 2009

Background:

The Constitution (86th Amendment) Act 2002, which made elementary education a Fundamental Right

Consequential legislation- the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, is the main vehicle for the Act’s implementation

The cornerstone of Right to Education is provision of free and compulsory primary education, though the aim is also to provide increasing access to learning opportunities at secondary, technical and higher levels.

Analysis:

1. 3.5 Lakhs schools have been opened in the last decade.
2. 99% of India’s rural population now has a primary school within a one kilometer radius. 
3. 84.4% schools now served the mid-day meals
4. 48.2% schools had proper and functioning toilets for girls 
5. 73% schools had available drinking water
6. The enrollment of girls has increased slightly from 48.12% in 2009-10 to 48.19% in 2014-15 at the elementary level. 
7. For boys, the enrollment at primary level is now 52%. 
8. A 55% decline in dropouts was also reported in the age group 6–14 years, from 13.46 million in 2005 to 6.06 million in 2014
9. Annual average primary school dropout rate declining from 6.8% in 2009-10 to 4.3% in 2013-14.

Improvement Required:

1. Global Monitoring Report 2012 ranked India a low 102 out of the 120 countries on the Education for All (EFA) Development Index, based on progress in universal primary education, adult literacy, gender parity and the quality of education.
2. There has been a decline in the education outcomes, with abilities in reading, writing and other comprehensive skills deteriorating among children between the ages of 6 and 14.
3. The flow of public funds has so far been focused on developing school infrastructure. Teacher training has been a neglected area.
4. An Oxfam India policy report in March 2015 indicated that over 5 lakh sanctioned teacher’s post were lying vacant and more than 6.6 lakh in-service teachers were un-trained. 
5. Around 37% of primary schools were found to be non-conformant with the prescribed national pupil – teacher ratio (PTR) norm of 30:1. 
6. Around 10% of schools across the country remained single teacher schools.
7. The UNESCO EFA Monitoring Report for 2014, noted that teacher absenteeism in India varied from 15% in Maharashtra to 42% in Jharkhand.
8. Less than 10% schools comply with all the RTE norms.
9. Total public expenditure for education, at less than 3.5% of GDP, is well below the 6% commitment made in the National Education Policies.
10. While school education is primarily the responsibility of states, the central government directly finances 60% of education, through programmes such as the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. 
11. As many as 66% of India’s primary school students attend government schools or government-aided schools.