FREE AND COMPULSORY EDUCATION ACT 2009: CHALLENGES CONFRONTING IN ITS IMPLEMENTATION IN THE CONTEXT OF MANIPUR
Authors:
Parvis John
Abstract:
The Right to Education legislation has a long history, having been subjected to numerous rounds of heated debate and philosophical and semantic alterations. The 86th Constitutional Amendment declared Education a fundamental right of all children in the age-group of 6 to14 years which was ensured in the form of Right to Education Act 2009. But the consequences for implementing the mission of free and compulsory elementary education in the country has remained far-reaching. Though, there has been a significant spatial and numerical expansion of elementary schools in the country and in the state of Manipur in particular. The goal of universal elementary education continues to be eluded. The number of children, particularly those children from the disadvantaged groups and weaker sections who drop out of the schools before completing elementary education and also children who do not admit themselves in the elementary schools remains at very large. It is because of the prevailing harsh socio-cultural and economic ground realities. Therefore, the implementation of the RTE Act has posed daunting challenges in its execution and implementation. This paper explores the challenges posed by the stakeholders in the implementation of the ‘Right to Free Compulsory Education Act 2009 in the context of Manipur. Primary data were collected from Government and Private Schools of 9 districts of Manipur. It was found that the demand for documents, distribution of central and state funds, collection of school fee, infrastructures of schools remain major issues in implementing the RTE Act.