Kolkata: The CPI(M) on Sunday said the scope of
Right to Education Act be expanded to cover children below six
to 18 years of age and not just those between six and 14 years
as stipulated in the Act and asked the Centre to bear the full
financial burden of enforcing the law.
"The coverage of the Right to Education should be
expanded to include children between below six years of age
and 18 years and the Centre should provide 100 per cent of the
funds to enforce the law," CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram
Yechury said here.
Speaking at a convention of teachers` here, Yechury said
the provision of central assistance to the tune of 55 per cent
and the state`s contribution of 45 per cent should also be
changed so that it bear 100 per cent of the funding to
implement the law".
He said the party had asked the Centre for making the
necessary amendments to the Act. It was not accepted in
Parliament.
He also said that CPI(M) would resist Centre`s "attempts"
to privatise education.
The Right to Education Act came into force on April 1
providing free and compulsory schooling to children in the
6-14 age group.
PTI
