Forwarding a msg from Dr Sadgopal with 3 Attachments from Dr. P.M. Bhargava.
vns Dear Friends, I am sharing with you two letters regarding the Right to Education (RTE) Bill written by Dr. P.M. Bhargava (former Vice Chairperson, National Knowledge Commission and former Member, National Security Advisory Board): the first letter dated 6th July 2009 (before the RTE Bill was passed by either of the Houses in the Parliament) to the Prime Minister and the second letter dated 5th August 2009 (the day following the passing of the Bill in the Lok Sabha) to Shri Rahul Gandhi, General Secretary, Indian National Congress. I am doing this with Dr. Bharagava’s permission. These are important documents in the emerging debate on this farcical Bill that denies the Right to Education of *equitable quality* already existing in the Constitution, legitimizes inequality and discrimination through the prevailing multi-layered education and incorporates provisions designed to increase the pace of unabashed privatization and commercialization of school education. Along with his letter to the Prime Minister, Dr. P.M. Bhargava annexed five newspaper clippings that represent the situation rapidly emerging all over the country. These, too, are attached herewith. In Dr. Bhargava’s words, these clippings reveal that “there is enormous corruption in terms of collection of fees in private commercial schools, whose objective is almost exclusively to make money; whatever little education that they provide, is incidental. There is no way that any provision of the Bill can change the above situation.” He adds, “The Bill will, *de facto*, open the gates for Government subsidizing private profit-making schools for the rich and the affluent, instead of ensuring quality school education for all which alone can be the foundation of a non-exploitative society.” This is precisely the agenda of public-private partnership (PPP) promoted in the XI Five-Year Plan and articulated by Kapil Sibal in his 100-day agenda wherein the government resources, including the public funds and lands, shall be used to privatize and commercialise education. On the one hand, the Bill legitimizes school vouchers, rejected by many countries, through its 25% provision in the name of the so-called free education in private schools - a diversionary tactic as the people will soon realise. On the other hand, the Bill fails to empower the governments (central or state) or the local authorities to regulate the fee structure of the profit-making schools (see Sections 8 & 9 of the Bill regarding the duties of the Appropriate Governments and Local Authorities). This has serious implications for the anti-fee hike agitations being undertaken all over the country. I would try and maintain a continuous dialogue with you all on this anti-Constitutional, anti-education and anti-child Bill that is embedded in the neo-liberal policy framework. We are fortunate that there are eminent intellectuals such as Dr. PM Bhargava, Founder-Director of the Centre of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, who have the foresight and courage to articulate the truth. With hope and trust, Sincerely, Anil Sadgopal Three attachments as above. ------------------------------ Love Cricket? Check out live scores, photos, video highlights and more. Click here <http://in.rd.yahoo.com/tagline_cricket_2/*http://cricket.yahoo.com>. -- Dr.V.N.Sharma http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Dr.V.N.Sharma "Those who have the privilege to know, have the duty to act." Albert Einstein "The only thing necessary for Evil to Flourish is for good men to do nothing" Edmund Burke
