Despite HC order, Pondy govt yet to notify RTE Act

By failing to honour a Madras high court order directing the territorial administration to notify the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 before November 1 this year, the Puducherry government has earned the dubious distinction of being one of the last states in the country to comply.

The high court in its order dated August 1, directed the Puducherry government to notify the Act within three months after Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL), Tamil Nadu and Puducherry filed a public interest litigation petition (PIL). CACL state convener P Joseph Victor Raj said the Union government enacted the Act, which aims to extend free and compulsory education to all children aged between six and 14 years, on April 2010 and pointed out that the Section 38 of the said Act directs all state governments to notify and enforce the Act. "Tamil Nadu government is the latest state to notify the Act. It notified the Act on November 8 and prepared draft guidelines on the lines of model guidelines issued by the Union government. But Puducherry government is yet to notify the Act," regretted Raj.

He said the Puducherry government framed draft rules and invited suggestions from various quarters in September last year but failed to notify the Act even after 14 months, he said. "The delay in implementation of the Act has given uncontrolled hand to the private schools to remain insensitive to their obligation and duties," he said.

Highlighting the salient aspects of the Act, Raj said it aimed to extend elementary education to children, who had never been to school or had dropped out.

"Similarly section 11 mandates that the government must provide free pre-school education for children between three and six years of age to ensure early childhood care and education," he said.