Should girls be given preference under RTE?
Should girls be given preference under RTE?
Introduction
Right to Education (RTE) is a general act / rule common to all ages and both sexes. This act has nothing to do specifically with girls. The preference and reservation like terms does not help in any empowerment. Rather these are the ways to show the weakness of women community. Still it is an acceptable fact that despite talking of women liberalization and empowerment, we still fail to acknowledge the knowledge and literacy rate of women in our country. Under such circumstance, should girls be given preference under RTE?
Yes
- Development of women denotes the progress of county which is possible only by ensuring that girls are educated.
- The rural India still follows the old superstitious traditions to suppress women. Such a preference under RTE could help in spreading some awareness regarding the value of education for girls.
- Many families in our country fail to afford the cost of education and find girls to victimise to the same.
- As India still visualises the male members of the family as the working member and female as their subordinates, the families prefer the education status of the boys over the girls. Preference under the RTE can help to break these boundaries for the girls.
No
- RTE is common for everyone. Including the gender discrimination may call for the amendment in our fundamental rights, which is not so pleasing.
- Economic status of the families reflects both on boy or girl child. Preference for girls under RTE could not be a solution to this.
- India is a developing country and women are progressing at a faster rate. All they need is encouragement and security to come up. The preference or reservation directly denotes their weakness which affects their morale.
- Rural India suppressing girls need to be educated and made aware of the strength and potential of women. To do this we need to remove the stigma of superiority complex amongst males. This can’t be changed by providing preference to girls under RTE.
Conclusion
Right to education is one of the fundamental rights that are equal for all the citizens of the country. Making a preference for girls will fail our efforts to establish the approaching equality status for women in this male dominated society. Though the preference could help a small group of people to accommodate their girl child in to the literacy slab, still the majority will find a demotivated morale with this amendment. Thus, the preference is not an appropriate remedial measure for the upliftment of women in our country.
Discussion
- RE: Should girls be given preference under RTE? -Teena Bhatia (09/11/14)
- The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory education Act was launched by government in the year 2009. Already the act has remained in controversies for many reasons. The act is forced on private schools and minority institutions are exempted from RTE. As per the act, 25% of seats in private schools are reserved for underprivileged children.
Here, a question arises, at a time when the different groups are trying to eliminate the difference between girls and boys, why should girls be given preference under RTE. It is an act of free education for all children, irrespective of the fact that the child is girl or boy. The idea is to attract more and more children from the slum areas to elite schools where they can get quality education. They can get hands to resources which otherwise have been out of reach.
If for a moment, even we give preference to girls under RTE, how many families will utilize it? The quota for girls in RTE cannot change the perception of families. If they don’t want to send their girl child to school, they will not send, even if there are vacant seats available for girls in private schools. The special preference will not make any change in status of girl education.
Also, RTE is available till the age of 14 years. Parents from poor background will hardly make any effort to continue the girl’s education. They will want her to get married as soon as possible. So, again, it will be a complete waste of a seat under RTE.
