Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 31: J&K National Panthers Party (JKNPP) has flayed the Government for depriving the prospective beneficiaries in J&K of the benefits envisaged under the Right to Education (RTE) Act 2009.
In a press conference here today chairman JKNPP and former Education Minister Harsh Dev Singh said that defiance shown by the Government in implementing provisions of RTE Act only demonstrated the derision and contempt of the present rulers for the beneficial laws and educational reforms in the new UT.
Elaborating basic highlights of RTE Act, Singh said that it envisages right to free and compulsory education to all children of age from 6 to 14 years, from class I to VIII.
“It also provides that no school fee, capitation, charges or expenses are to be paid by the child to get elementary education, a provision which is being brazenly defied by Government schools of J&K,” he maintained adding that the Act further states that no child or his parent would be subjected to any screening procedure for admission to the school and no child shall be held back in any class till class VIII and no child should be expelled from the school.
The NPP leader said that the Act further calls for provision of free text books, writing materials and uniform to students and expressed shock over collection of huge fee and other charges by the Government schools from students of class I to VIII in the form of admission fee, school improvement fund, Red Cross fund etc.
He sought the refund of all fee charged from students by Government and private schools for the last two years as there has been hardly any academic activity in the schools.
Singh said that NPP would start agitation against the criminal negligence of Government towards the most significant sector.
Gagan Pratap Singh, state secretary JKNPP and Surinder Chouhan, district president Jammu Rural were also present in the press conference.
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