Even as India celebrates an impressive jump in the literacy figures in the past decade, a staggering eight million children are still out of school. Worse, 21 per cent of the teachers at the primary level are without adequate qualification and as many as 9 per cent schools have only the one teacher.
Releasing the achievements in the first year of implementation of The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said 81 lakh children out of school was a matter of great concern.
However, he said the States were very cooperative in the implementation of Right to Education (RTE) Act. As many as 15 States had notified the Rules, 11 constituted State Commissions for Protection of Child Rights, while 28 States adopted the policy of eight year elementary education.
There was a policy of no detention (failing) in 27 States, 28 had banned corporal punishment and 26 had done away with board examination up to the elementary level. Several States had also banned private tuition, screening procedure and capitation fee.
Mr. Sibal said the teachers who did not possess qualification were given five years to equip themselves. He appreciated that a huge number of children were now enrolled in schools – 13 crore at the primary level and another five crore at the upper primary level. Girl enrolment was 48 per cent.
