Even five months after the introduction of Right to Education (RTE) Act, the state government seems to have done little to implement it. While the RTE timeline states that within six months of introduction of the Act, the student-teacher ratio should be set right and grievance committees in schools be constituted, the state government has not done either of these. The state government has also not constituted the Right to Education Protection Authority, which is meant to take stock of the activities carried out as per provisions of the Act.
According to RTE activists, the Sarva Shiksha Abhyian (SSA) officials have not yet initiated any training programme regarding the RTE for lower-level officials and teachers. "Lagging behind the schedule would mean that several students are being denied an opportunity to pursue education," said M Venkat Reddy, director, M V Foundation. With current pace of implementation of the Act, scores of candidates would be left in the lurch in the next academic year also, he added.
However, the state government officials differ with the RTE activists' version. "The state has set its own time frame for the implementation of the Act. We have already started mapping of schools and making of the list of students eligible to study under the provisions of the Act, said a SSA project officer.