New Delhi, April, 2 : A law making primary education compulsory in India came into effect Thursday, opening the door for millions of impoverished children who have never made it to school because their parents could not afford the fees or because they were forced to work instead.
The new law entitles all children between the ages of 6 and 14 to a free education, regardless of their social status, gender or income level. Some 8 million children - mostly girls - are currently out of school, according to the U.N. children's agency. The law is expected to also help educate Dalit children, who as members of India's lowest caste are treated as outcasts and are often barred from class.
"Today, our government comes before you to redeem the pledge of giving all our children the right to elementary education," India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in a televised national address. "This demonstrates our national commitment to the education of our children and to the future of India."
Under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, passed by Parliament in August 2009, all costs that prevent a child from attending school will be paid by the government, which will also be responsible for enrolling children and ensuring attendance, a government statement said.
Private schools must also reserve a quarter of their seats for children from poor and disadvantaged backgrounds - something elite private schools unsuccessfully challenged.
Among those welcoming the law were human rights groups and UNICEF, the U.N. children's agency.
"Tens of millions of children will benefit from this initiative ensuring quality education with equity," said Karin Hulshof, UNICEF Representative in India.
Still, there are significant obstacles to adding millions of children to enrolment lists in this nation of 1.2 billion.
Resistance to the law is likely in deeply conservative regions where families hesitate to send their daughters to school, especially when they are likely to interact with male students. Government-run schools in India are often dilapidated, lacking adequate equipment and trained teachers.
The new law is expected to cost the government over $35 billion over the next five years, with most of the expense to be borne by the governments in each of India's 28 states and the federal government. The law also requires all government teachers to follow new educational standards within the next five years, and all schools to ensure they meet certain basic guidelines within three years.
The law also bans children from being denied admission to a school due to lack of documents like birth certificates, a frequent impediment for poor families.
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