NEW DELHI: The Union Human Resources Development Ministry is mulling to amend the Right to Education Act, 2009 to relax the norms and standards related to specifications such as land areas and buildings and infrastructure for schools — both government and private.
The latest version of the National Education Policy, accessed by this newspaper, says RTE will be “reviewed” and “overemphasis on inputs and mechanistic nature of their specifications-physical and infrastructural will be changed and the requirements be made more responsive to realities on the ground”.
Some of the examples used in the documents on specifications that are to be changed include land areas and the room sizes and practicalities of playgrounds in urban areas.
“These mandates will be adjusted and loosened, leaving suitable flexibility for each school to make its own decision based on local needs and constraints but without in any way compromising on the requirements of safety, security and a pleasant and productive learning space,” says the new version of the NEP that is to be sent to the PMO before it’s taken to the Union Cabinet.
“Educational outcomes will be given due importance and will be added adequately in the assessment of schools,” it adds.“At the heart of this proposal is the concern that there is too much stress on inputs but not enough emphasis on outcomes. We, therefore, want to shift the focus,” said an official in the school education and literacy department in the Ministry.
In its present form, the Act lays down the norms and minimum standards related to pupil-teacher ratio, buildings and infrastructure for urban, rural and tribal areas, working days and teachers’ working hours.
While welcoming the proposed move, school education experts also had a word of caution for the government.
“Rigidity related to physical standards can be made flexible at the school level but it’s the child’s interest that should be at the top of policy makers’ mind,” said Neelam Sood, who has previously been with the National Institute of Education Planning and Administration.