Thursday, 21 November 2019

Right to Education in India

India has developed tremendously over the past decade. But the actual growth cannot really be measured through the number of flyovers or shopping malls that have been built. How literate and educated the populace of a country is a sound indicator of the progress it (the country) has made. Education is a significant part of our lives. A society can only grow if people are educated and aware. Therefore, an education system, which is sturdy and robust, goes a long way in ensuring the spread of education in a society.

According to the 7th All India Education Survey, 2002, less than half of India’s children between the age 6 and 14 go to school and a little over one-third of all children who enrol in the 1st grade reach the 8th grade. In spite of various efforts being made to change the education scenario in India, at least 35 million children aged 6 – 14 years still do not attend school and 53% of girls in the age group of 5 to 9 years are illiterate.

86th Amendment Act, Article 21(A) made Right to Primary Education part of the Right to Freedom. Education was not a fundamental right in India until it was made a fundamental right in the 86th amendment to the Constitution.

The right to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 is an endeavour to directly benefit all the children in the 6-14 years age group who are not enrolled in schools. There are millions of children who are still deprived of their rights. It is important for children and their families from economically backward and marginalised areas to become aware of the Right to Education (RTE).
Enshrined in Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 14 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Right to Education has been recognised as a basic human right.

In one of his speeches, Manmohan Singh, the then Prime Minister of India stated that "We are committed to ensuring that all children, irrespective of gender and social category, have access to education. An education that enables them to acquire the skills, knowledge, values and attitudes necessary to become responsible and active citizens of India."

Even after so many years of attaining independence, people continue to be slaves of their own primitive mindsets and somehow feudal social structure. Children need to become aware of their fundamental rights. As it is rightly said, the future of a nation is its youth. The youth can be empowered only if it’s educated. Right to Education (RTE) is certainly the way forward.

The government is doing its bit but as responsible citizens of this country, it is also our duty to ensure that every individual in the country can access his/her rights. Various non-profit organisations are also working to ensure that people have access to quality education. Ghar_Aangan Orphanage is one such organisation that is running programmes to support the education of the most disadvantaged children of India in different ways like we map out-of-school children and ensure their enrolment into formal schools in age-appropriate classes, in classrooms, we encourage and help children to undertake learning activities in groups and in metro cities, we operate our own learning centres where children coming from the socially-excluded communities are provided learning and/or after-school support.
 
By donating to charities like Ghar_Aangan Orphanage, you can make a long-term impact.

Saturday, 16 November 2019

Feminism

Dedicated to Girls

1. Not every girl wants to get married by 23. So before you ASSUME she's of marriageable age, ask her what her views on marriage are. One hint, might save you the drama- just because she does not want to get married now does not mean she never will. She has other plans for herself right now, let her live a little.
2. Just because a girl wishes to do her PhD after Masters does not mean she doesn't want to settle down in life. Give her a break, and respect the fact that she has the confidence to take that up, cos yeah, PhD is no joke. There will come a point when she would happily devote herself to her family, and balance it out with her work life. Her degrees, or lack of them, won't make any difference. Let her study while she wants to, okay?
3. Just because she is 27 and unmarried does not mean she's been rejected by many men. Maybe, being single is a choice she has made.
4.Having a boyfriend does not make her characterless.
5. Just because she has recently gone through a break up doesn't mean she is vulnerable and available.
6. Just because most of her friends are boys, does not mean she is "having a good time" with all of them.
7. Just because she has a drink in her hand does not mean she is an alcoholic.
8. Just because she wore a short skirt to one party does not mean she dresses up that way every day.
9. Just because she is ambitious doesn't mean she isn't a family person.
10. Just because she doesn't discuss her plans doesn't mean she's clueless about life. Give her a chance, alright?
11. Just because she is outspoken doesn't mean she is a rebel.
12. Just because she comes home late from work does not mean she is sleeping around with her colleagues.
13. After a hectic week, give her some time to relax over the weekend. Don't make that one weekend party make her look like a she's a frivolous party-girl without a job.
14. Just because she is out shopping alone does not mean she is depressed or lonely. It's how she relaxes, respect that.
15. Just because she is on a holiday alone does not mean she doesn't have company. Maybe it's a break to get back her lost confidence, or maybe that's how she is. Admire her spirit instead of giving her advice, okay?
16. Just because she is a woman doesn't mean she can't kick ass in military school.
17. Just because she has a tattoo doesn't mean she is attention seeking. Maybe that's her way of expression.
18. Just because she doesn't know how to cook doesn't mean she won't make a good wife. Remember when you were just married and cooked chicken curry which was um, a disaster?
19. Just because she likes everything pink and shiny and fluffy doesn't mean she lives in her own world. She can handle some situations much better than her male counterparts.
20. Just because she is pretty does not mean she is a whore. And just because she is friendly does not mean she is flirting with you.
Yes, they cry,  get emotional; they take things personally, and sometimes over-react to situations. But this does not give any one the right to judge them in the wrong way. Times are changing; don't confine her within those boundaries, no matter how orthodox you are. There are some who might be fighting this losing battle, yet compromising on their decisions and plans, just to please society. Respect & let them fly✈... :))