
BENGALURU: With the Union and State budgets fast approaching, experts stress the need for the government to prioritise education funding.
Educationists suggest that instead of allocating resources to establish a research centre at Bangalore University (BU) to honour the contributions of former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, funds should be used towards fully implementing the Right to Education (RTE) Act, a policy implemented in 2010 during Dr Singh’s tenure as Prime Minister.
Experts also demand that the government roll out schemes to incentivise education at the secondary level, to bridge dropout rates between Class 8 and 9. Recalling then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s speech, Professor Niranjanaradhya said that Dr Singh had expressed his vision, stating, “I want every Indian child to be touched by the light of education.”
Dr Singh emphasised the need to work collectively to enhance the working conditions of teachers, enabling them to teach with dignity and fully express their talent and creativity. “The needs of every disadvantaged section of our society, particularly girls, Dalits, Adivasis and minorities must be a priority as we implement this Act,” he urged. But if the RTE Act is not being implemented effectively and the state is unable to meet its requirements, why are we focusing on further infrastructural development when basic fundamental rights remain unfulfilled?” Prof Niranjanaradhya questioned.
“A real tribute does not lie in establishing institutions in his name, but in successfully implementing the RTE Act,” he added.
Several reports, including UDISE, have consistently shown that Karnataka has witnessed a sharp rise in dropout rates year after year. This trend is most evident in Classes 7 and 8, where government-provided free education typically ends. Child rights activist Nagasimha G Rao pointed out that support for specially-abled children has been overdue for years. “The government must allocate funds to cater to their needs and develop disabled-friendly infrastructure in schools, including ramps, proper seating and other essential facilities to ensure an inclusive learning environment,” he said.