IIM-A’s work on RTE

RTE

Section 12

Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act states that at least 25% of seats in un-aided schools, starting from entry level should be filled from children belonging to disadvantaged groups and weaker sections

Right to education is now justiciable and National Commission for Protection of Child Rights can investigate complaints and has the powers of a civil court in trying cases

Declares Education as a fundamental right of all children in the age group of 6-14 years

Section 12

• Improve diversity and social integration in our classroom

• Move away from segregation by incomes • Purpose of education???

Highlights of the Right to Education Act 2009

Motivation

The implementation of Section 12 in Ahmedabad was very poor

• Around 35 kids go to private schools from Prayaas over the last many years

• Prayaas kids have been very well integrated in the private schools• More Prayaas kids Diverse classroom Inclusive Schools Egalitarian

SocietyPoor implementation of Section 12• Short Deadline

• No awareness drive• Difficult documentation process • Lack of funds

Karnataka Madhya Pradesh

Maharashtra Delhi Gujarat

66%

45% 44%50%

3%

By all standard the situation looked quite bleak and we started working to push the graph up

“Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines” - Robert H. Schuller

• Survey• Slum

Visits

Parents

• School Visit

• Conference

Schools• Remove

Entry Barrier

• Constant visitsGovernme

nt

Interest in education

AwarenessDocuments1st Generation learners

Concern for quality of education and the child

Government InterventionIntegrationFinances

Willingness to workSupportive

ManpowerEfficiencyTechnology

RTE suffers from poor implementation mostly due to information asymmetry

Awareness

Social Integration

Financing Kids

Unclear Policy

Resistance from

schools

Awareness• Parents & beneficiaries not aware of the RTE

act• Provisions of the act and requirements not

clearSocial Integration• Schools not clear on how to integrate kids

from EWS• Which is the best model – Inclusive, Exclusive

or mixed?Financing Kids• Schools complaining of delayed

reimbursements• Limited number of seats reserved due to lack

of fundsUnclear Policy & Redtapism• Schools, NGOs not fully aware of policy

guidelines, dates.• Bottlenecks in the admission process –

obtaining address proofs, distance certificates, etc.Resistance from Schools

• Parents in management resisting EWS kids’ admission• Schools creating hurdles for implementations

Government

ParentsSchools

RTE

Resource

Centre

Schools

•Creating a network of schools •Sharing of inclusive practices

Government

•Removal of operational bottlenecks•Policy changes

Parents

•Building awareness about the Act•Redressing their problem

Students

•Target college students to be a part of this initiative•Resource Centers in various colleges

NGOs

•Act as local resource centers•Helping the kids post admission

Legal Aid Clinic

•PILs•Legal actions to support the poor parents

The Resource Centre will provide a common platform for schools, parents and government

And there we go live. One glitch and we were on center stage……

Phase 1: Tilling: Preparing the ground

• Entering the lion’s den• Getting information from the Government• RTIs – Be ready to get disappointed• A good rapport with office clerks – always works• Collected all the details on timeline of admission, documents

required, eligible schools• But most important – got a entry into their office

• Building the network• Getting the NGO excited• Creating a network of NGOs to facilitate discussion• Meeting Social Enterprises to seek their support

• Awaaz De – IVRS support• Indus Action – Campaign material and knowledge partner

• Engaging different institutes • NID – Campaign Design GNLU – Legal

Support• MICA – Communication Strategy

Phase 1.5: Getting the tools ready: A resourceful website

Phase 1.5: Getting the tools ready: Social Media Outreach

Phase 2: Sowing the idea : Awareness Campaign

• More than 70 Students across from MICA, GNLU, NID and IIMA are fully active for the initiative

Phase 2: Sowing the idea : Awareness Campaign

Phase 3: PGP: Public Government Partnership: Helpdesk @ Government Centres

Phase 3: PGP: Public Government Partnership: Data Base Creation

Phase 3: Parent Support Initiative

Phase 3: Parent Support Initiative

Details sought from NGOsList of People Applied

Applicant's social Demographic# of letters not received

Successful Documentation# of Converts

Individual GrievancesSchools responses

Structure of Parent Meeting

• Explaining the rules• Eligibility Criteria• Expense related Doubts• Busting School Myths

• Grievances • Survey Form Description• IVRS support description

• Remove some of the doubts of the parents about the process• Get data points for categorizing the schools • School Visits •The utility of IVRS support

Refrain from pushing the parents too hard for the admission

School Visit

• Meeting the school principal with the parents• Explaining the rules of RTE – Resolution Document• Understanding their problems and documenting it• Discussion on how can we further collaborate with them for integration

Phase 4: And we did it

Phase 4: There were smiles all around

Phase 4: Entire Community came to drop their kids

RTERC National Outreach

Bits Pilani RTERC

The National Network

RTERC 2.0

• Child Tracking • Documentation Dissemination and

Advocacy• Awareness 2.0• Gujarat• National

• Socially Inclusive Schools• State of the Nation report card• Legal Aid Clinics• Technology to facilitate

implementation• You Decide……………

We need your support

Please sent your feedback/suggestions/queries to rterc@iimahd.ernet.in