Introduction: –
Article 21A of the Indian Constitution defines the Right to Education. RTE provides free and compulsory education to the children (Age: 6 to 14). The Universal Declaration demonstrates that its founders recognized that education is not value-neutral. Moreover, the Soviets, who were the most ideologically sensitive at the time, were the first to address this issue in the document’s development.
Relevance with RTI Act: –
Every child has a right to full-time elementary education of satisfactory and equitable quality in a formal school. A school that meets certain essential norms and standards.
The Right to Free and Compulsory Education for Children (RTE) Act of 2009 is the follow-up law to Article 21-A. The RTE Act and Article 21-A went into force on April 1, 2010. The words ‘free and compulsory’ in fact appear in the title of the RTE Act.
No kid, except a child who has been admitted by his or her parents to a school that is not financed by the relevant government, shall be obligated to pay any fee, charge or expense that may hinder him/her from pursuing and completing primary education.
‘Compulsory education’ accordingly imposes a legal requirement. The competent government and local authorities have to simultaneously offer and ensure that schools admit all children aged 6 to 14. And also make sure they attend, and complete primary school.
Defining the right to an education
Mr. Alexander Pavlov of the Soviet Union believed that “the upbringing of young people in a spirit of hatred and intolerance” was a key component in the rise of Fascism and Nazism. As it turned out, Article 26 took up Pavlov’s notion that education must have political purposes. But discarded his ideologically rigid ideas in favor of multiple positive goals.
Thus, Article 26 states that the right to education should be a link to three specific educational goals:
- The full development of the human personality. As well as the deepening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in its most disputed aspect.
- Promoting international understanding, tolerance, and friendship among all nations, races, and religions.
- The expansion of the United Nations’ peacekeeping efforts.
Human Rights Education: Global Resources and Support
The initial UN Decade for Human Rights Education was a success by many measures. By the time it was finished, HRE programmes could be found in almost every country on the planet. Further various reinforcements were in use to strengthen and facilitate them. Among them were:
- NGOs’ innovative popular education projects aimed at specific groups. Such as women and children, the disabled, the rural poor. It also included those who are unattainable by official school systems.
- International agencies have contributed to the project’s funding.
- UN and regional backing and technical assistance aided the process.
- Long-term programmes were created with the use of university diplomas and teacher training, .
Other rights are dependent on it
Education is a basic human right that is required for the full enjoyment of all other human rights. It promotes individual independence and empowerment. While also contributing significantly to development.
Education is a great instrument for people and children who are economically and socially oppressed to rise out of poverty and fully participate as citizens.
Educational Objectives in Human Rights
Human rights education focuses on both teaching about and advocating for human rights. Its mission is to teach individuals about human rights, how to value them and how to take responsibility for safeguarding, promoting, and defending them.
Empowerment, a process by which people and communities gain more control over their own lives. And the decisions that impact them, is one of the most important outcomes of human rights education. People working together to achieve universal human rights, fairness, and dignity is the ultimate goal of human rights education.
Also read :- WHY FREEDOM OF MEDIA IS SO IMPORTANT
Role of education
Human rights education also instils in people a sense of responsibility for upholding and defending human rights, as well as the abilities to take appropriate action.
Here are some more ways/areas education helps in:
- gaining a critical awareness of situations in life
- examining issues from a moral standpoint
- recognizing that inequitable situations can be enhanced
- realizing that the preservation of human rights has personal and social implications
- examining the circumstances that lead to abuses of human rights
- being aware of and capable of utilizing global, regional, national, and local human rights instruments. And processes for the protection of human rights
- deciding on the best course of action in the face of injustice
- promoting and defending human rights
Conclusion: –
In conclusion, it is a significant claim that the right to education is a human right. It’s a significant claim because it’s our obligation to help youngsters build a set of learned talents that will allow them to live meaningful and fulfilled lives.
The goal of UNESCO to build a 21st-century learning society by promoting the MDG to attain universal free basic primary public education for all is a worthy and significant goal.
Currently, about 70 million primary school-aged children do not or cannot attend school. A stunning figure that implies that establishing a right to education is a high-priority claim in today’s globe.
