RTE Resource CenterA Prayaas & IIMA Initiative

• RTE Act is a milestone in the quest for Universal Education in India

• The un-realized objective of section 12 of RTE is to make education inclusive

• But even after 4 years not much have changed

• We started this project to know the status of implementation in Ahmedabad

• Our experience with Prayaas have shown us how student initiatives can transform lives

Motivation

Motivation Problems RTE Resource Center Role of RRC Conference on

Inclusive Education

Currently the 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 clear

Social 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 funds

Unclear 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

Motivation Problems RTE Resource Center Role of RRC Conference on

Inclusive Education

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

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

Motivation Problems RTE Resource Center Role of RRC Conference on

Inclusive Education

To transform the legal norm of RTE to social norm[1]

School Principal – A social change maker [2]

• Sensitization Workshops, Seminars, group discussions • Experience and Knowledge Sharing Sessions• Documentation of Inclusive practices and FFPs

Research • Case studies on schools • RTI for RTE - Creation of Data Base• Models for social integration and financing

Certificate of Inclusive schools• Checklist of inclusive practices – Tracking the missionary

school practices. Innovation Lab in some schools.

Legal Aid Clinic• Make the Legal Clinic in law colleges active• Provide legal aid to parents facing problems

Awareness Campaign

On ground campaignMedia Publicity – Local Gujarati newspaperRadio Nazariya – Road ShowAwaaz.De – IVRS supportIndus Action – Providing Campaign material

Around 15 NGOs working in the education space across Ahmedabad will be part of the campaign and help in facilitating the admission process for the kids

Motivation Problems RTE Resource Center Role of RRC Conference on

Inclusive Education

[1] Prof Nalini Juneja during one of our interactions[2] Prof Ankur Sarin research