RTE Act to be implemented from this year – Kageri

RTE Act to be implemented from this year – Kageri

Mangalore Today News Network

Udupi, May 23, 2012  : Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, minister for primary and secondary education, told reporters on Tuesday that the Right to Education (RTE) Act will be enforced in all schools, including private schools, from this academic year.

Stating that he has held meetings with managements of private schools, he expressed confidence that private schools will cooperate in implementing this act.

Expressing concern about the drop in the number of students opting to study in Kannada medium schools, he said that the government will make sure that implementing the RTE Act will not lead to a further decrease in the number of students in government Kannada medium schools.

If private schools receive applications in excess of the 25 percent reservation, they will have to take lots, he said.

According to the RTE Act, parents and teachers will be held responsible for any increase in the number of school drop outs. Kageri admitted that schools are a bit confused about the various provisions of the act in spite of their willingness to implement it.

Expressing his appreciation of Udupi, he said that Udupi has emerged as the state topper in the SSLC exams thanks to the government’s Operation Hundred Percent initiated on a pilot basis to improve SSLC results.

He also said that the state has set a record by getting an SSLC result of 76.13 percent, which is 2.23 percent more than its last year’s result. Udupi, however, has excelled by recording a result of 89.53 percent, and this is because of the Operation Hundred Percent launched in Udupi to pull it up from its 6th position.

Even schools in rural areas such as Hejamady Kodi have recorded 100 percent results, said Mr. Kageri.