Subject: Can we really be independent without education?

Dear Sir/Madam, Asha for Education, a group of students and professionals based in the US, consider it extremely unfortunate that even after being in power for 3 years, the UPA govt. is still dithering on the question of the RTE bill. It is highly incomprehensible and objectionable that the 86th constitutional amendment that mandated the Right to Education for 6 to 14 year olds remains un-notified till date. Therefore, the will of the parliament that gave such a right to the children of the country remains unattended and unimplemented by the govt, which was not expected from the present UPA govt. that had made the promise to increase the spending to 6% of the GDP as part of the national common minimum programme. It is particularly distressing that suggestions and moves are being mooted in order to bring in private finances to substitute govt. spending through public-private partnerships, school vouchers, and similar mechanisms. The 86th amendment clearly makes the govt. responsible of the education of its children and any attempt to dilute that responsibility has to be seen as a violation of the constitutional mandate. Asha for Education had already expressed its anguish and disapproval to the govt.'s decision to not adopt a central legislation and pass on the burden and responsibility to the state governments by adopting an extremely ineffective model bill. This was in total disregard of the draft RTE bill which was adopted by CABE in August 2005. Now that its become clear that most of the state governments have expressed strong reservations about being pushed to shoulder the responsibility it is time for the central govt. to review its earlier decision and reconsider bringing in a central legislation based on the August 2005 CABE draft. If the UPA govt. in the remaining years it has to govern the country fails to bring in such a central legislation it will be considered the most blatant miscarriage of its promises made in the national common minimal programme. The contention of the High Level Group set up by the PM to take a decision on the bill that the problem of universal elementary education was exaggerated in the CABE draft and that the state govt.s had the financial ability to fund their respective laws, with the support of the SSA is completely misleading and wrong. Govt.'s own data strongly suggests that the never-enrolled and drop-outs constitute more than half the population for which the right has been given. In such a situation, there is no other alternative but for the central govt. to bring in a central legislation with adequate financial support in a manner that has be substantially different from the SSA mechanisms. We urge the govt. to act accordingly at the earliest. Sincerely,

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