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Business As a Partner in India's Right to Education

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Business As a Partner in India's Right to Education Since 1895 Since 1895 BUSINESS AS A PARTNER IN INDIA’s RIGHT TO EDUCATION A toolbook for effective business engagement in strengthening education in India “WhenBusiness as a partnerI was in theyoung, Right to Education I read under the dim light of a kerosene lamp. I am what I am totally because of education.So I want that the light of education should reach to all.” Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. 1 THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION A priority for India. An imperative for Indian business. The passing of the Right of Children to Free and Why invest in education? Compulsory Education (RTE) Act 2009 marks a historic moment for the children of India. The Fundamental Accessing good quality education changes individuals’ Right to Education, as incorporated in our Constitution lives and benefits society as a whole: under Article 21 A, became operative from April 1, 2010. It reduces poverty This demonstrates national commitment to the • Getting children into school is the best route to education of children and to the future of India. The Act ensure economic growth. is a building block to ensure that every child has his or her right to get a quality elementary education honored. • A child who goes to school will earn an extra 10% for every year of schooling they complete The need is urgent. Learning assessments show that It increases equality more investments are required to meet the provisions • Access to good quality education transforms the life of quality and child-friendly education for the estimated chances of women and girls. 190 million girls and boys in India who should be in It promotes peace and stability elementary school today. • Every additional year of formal schooling for boys reduces the risk of them becoming involved in conflict The State, teachers, families and communities have to by 20% fulfill this entitlement together. Business is a part of this It improves health community and companies can play an important role in • Children who go to school are healthier, less supporting the RTE act. vulnerable, and more likely to contribute to the development of society. The RTE Act provides a solid platform to reach the • Children who complete primary education are less unreached with specific provisions for disadvantaged than half as likely to be infected with HIV compared groups, such as child laborers, migrant children, with those who have not attended school children with special needs, or those who have a “disadvantage owing to social, cultural, economic, Source: the Global Campaign for Education geographical, linguistic, gender or such other factors.” It also strives for participatory school management to ensure quality with equity, for example by banning corporal punishment to ensure classrooms free of In this report: fear and anxiety as well as providing mother tongue Key features of the Right to instruction as far as practicable. Education p2-3 There is a strong tradition in India of supporting Models of business engagement in education, Much before the RTE act was announced, Education p4-5 many companies and NGOs were already working Summary of good practice examples p6-7 towards the improvement of the standard of the studied education children receive in our country. Many p8-11 companies recognise that they have a vested interest Case Study in promoting education for the development of skilled Unicef Child Friendly Inclusive workforces, as well as the wider value education has in Schools and Systems promoting both economic growth and equality. Sources of infomation or support - This report aims to build on learning from company and international and Indian NGO initiatives, whilst showing how the RTE can be the basis for companies to ensure they invest in education in the most strategic way. Business as a partner in the Right to Education KEY FEATURES OF THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION ACT 2009 • Every child (6-14 years) has the right to free and Norms for primary Schools (Class 1st to 5th) compulsory education. The state is compelled to provide free education and ensure compulsory Children Admitted Number of Teachers admission, attendance and completion of elementary Up-to 60 Two education. 61-90 Three • Special provision for children not admitted to or who 91-120 Four have not completed Elementary Education: Children will be admitted in a class appropriate to his/her age 121-200 Five or just below until they can catch up with their peer >200 1 per 40 children group.Children will receive special training to be at >150 Headmaster has to be posted par with class mates. • Improvement in quality of education provided to Norms for Upper Primary Schools ( Class 6th to 8th) disadvantaged children includes: All private schools have to admit 25% children from disadvantaged At least one teacher per class so that there shall be groups from their neighborhoods for free education. one teacher each for: Science, Social Studies, and The government will reimburse the school for the fees Languages of these children. Children will also be provided with At least one teacher for every thirty five children the necessary books, uniforms and have other fees waived. Where admission is more than one hundred,a full time headmaster has to be posted. • No discrimination of children on social, cultural and economic basis. This includes children with Part time teachers for art, health and physical disabilities and who live in remote areas. education • Children will not excluded from enrollment because they do not possess the appropriate documentation • Number of teaching hours per week (45 hours such as a birth certificate. including preparation hours). • State to provide a neighborhood school of a • Teachers need to obtain minimum qualification (to be prescribed minimum quality to each child within three prescribed by central government) and will have to years. (The model rules for neighborhood and access acquire such minimum qualification within 5 years. could be further improved by the state governments • No school to be established without obtaining in terms of their realities) certificate of recognition. Basic necessary infrastructure for school meeting • All government, government aided and special the minimum norms within 3 years (i.e. by March 31, category schools shall have to constitute School 2013.) Key parameters are: Management Committees (SMC). SMC’s will develop school development plans and be responsible for Number of rooms: At-least 1 classroom for every the estimates of enrolment, requirement of additional teacher and an office-cum-storeroom for Head teachers, need for additional infrastructure and teacher’s room equipment and the cost of these. 75% members shall Availability of teaching learning materials in the be parents of children studying in the school. 50% of classroom the total members should be women Availability of library, toilets (Separate for boys and girls), safe drinking water, playground, kitchen for mid-day meals Maintain a minimum Pupil Teacher ratio and minimum teaching standards in terms of number of teaching days per year. 3 KEY FEATURES OF THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION ACT 2009 Central government’s role: State Government’s Role: • Development of a national curriculum framework • Finalize and promulgate state rules with the support of academic authorities from state • Work out teacher requirements and complete teacher governments. deployment in order to ensure prescribed PTR ratio in • Develop and enforce standards for training of each school within six months teachers. • Commence detailed school mapping under the • Provide technical support and resource to the state neighbourhood definition in the model rules to plan government for promoting innovations, research, for neighbourhood school for each child in ten years. planning and capacity building. The states may take recourse to GIS mapping and child tracking methods for the purpose • Work out an appropriate fund sharing pattern with the states • Commence the process of setting up of School Management Committees • Facilitate academic support to states in CCE, curriculum and classroom transaction • Scrap board examinations and switch over to CCE • Work out appropriate teacher education facilities and • States that have a 7 year elementary cycle need to strategies in order to achieve the five year teacher switchover to a 8 year cycle and states that enroll qualification target. children at age 5 have to rethink about making age 6 as the admission age. • Incorporate the promised amendments relating to disabled children (already introduced in the Parliament). • Undertake a vigorous public advocacy campaign in collaboration with civil society groups to prepare the SMCs, local authorities and other concerned agencies to effectively implement the Act. • Work out appropriate mechanisms to involve “Education doesn’t just universities and non-government agencies with appropriate expertise in areas like quality beat poverty. It beats improvement, curricular design, teacher trainings and so on. disease. It beats inequality. And for girls, education is nothing less than a life- saver from stigmatization, insecurity and violence. It’s the issue that cuts across all others…. It’s the issue of our generation.” Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan UNICEF’s Eminent Advocate for Children Business as a partner in the Right to Education MODELS OF BUSINESS ACTION FOR THE RTE Most companies have some impact D POL on development and can make a AN ICY Y DI contribution in the following spheres of AC A Policy Dialogue and C LO influence1: O AL IN G Advocacy V CI VE U D SO ST / M E Companies can A R E S US N advocate for the Right C E B IN T Core R ES to Education amongst O S Business operations and C their peer groups value chains and on platforms, to their employees and • If any children are found customers. to work for the company See the Unicef or within its supply chain, dedicated website the company should play www.azaado.in a role in facilitating their education while phasing out the child labour in a responsible manner.
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