As the existing norms fail to ensure continuous education for students till class 12, the children studying in elite schools in the Rajasthan capital under the 25 percent RTE (Right to Education) quota are going back to the streets as daily wagers.
Every child from the age of 6 to 14 years enjoys the right of free and compulsory education in his/her neighbourhood school till the completion of his/her elementary education as per the Section 3 of the Right to Education Act. And the elementary education here stands for class 8.
An administrative officer of an elite school in Jaipur said that “The students after completing class 8 have nowhere to go. Their parents are forcing them into bangle-making or working on the streets after studying in most modern schools with state-of-the-art facilities. This is terrible to see as poor parents are unable to bear expenses of their higher studies and prefer to engage them in a job/work for additional income to support the family.”
The principal of a renowned school in Jaipur said that the 25 percent RTE quota is meant to benefit children. But after they complete elementary education no one bothers about the future of these poor kids.
