The Right to Education Act is to be implemented from April 1. HRD minister Kapil Sibal asked all the chief ministers to cooperate in universalising elementary education through a new message 'elementary education of equitable quality is now the right of every child' and a short awareness film. Making six suggestions, Sibal has chosen to launch RTE from Delhi. States have been asked to initiate social mapping exercises to ensure availability of neighbourhood schools.
Sibal has also asked CMs for special training for out-of-school children so that they can be enrolled in the age appropriate class. Since RTE stipulates a teacher student ratio of 1:30, Sibal has asked states to maintain it. To achieve the ratio, CMs have been asked to put in place a system of re-deployment of teachers to address the problem of imbalance in the teacher deployment, keeping in mind the domestic responsibility of the women teachers. Stressing on the importance of teachers in the implementation of RTE, Sibal has asked states to fill teacher vacancies. Sibal also stressed that states should prepare a plan that facilitates all untrained teachers.
