Disability commissioner Kasturi Mohapatra at a seminar in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, March 8: There are a number of problems with the Orissa Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules.

Experts said at a programme organised by the National Campaign for Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) here today that the state has completely overlooked the pre-school provision for children below the age of 6 years made under this Act.

At least 76 per cent of the state children within the age group of three and six years are deprived of pre-school education, which is instrumental in ensuring a child’s readiness to attend primary education at the subsequent stage. “The Orissa government has intentionally introduced the term ‘Pre-Primary School/Anganwadi Centre’ in the Rules. This do not reflect the pre-school provision in conformity with provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act,” said programme convenor Bikash Das.

“As a result, several children belonging to disadvantaged communities, particularly those from indigenous communities, will be deprived of quality early childhood education which is a strong foundation for realisation of Right to Education Act,” he said.

Emphasising the importance of early childhood care and education, the head of the law department of Utkal University, P.K. Sarkar, presented the detailed provisions made under Section 11 of the Act which say that “with a view to prepare children above the age of 3 years to provide elementary education and to provide early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the age of 6 years, the government may make necessary arrangements for providing free pre-school education for such children”.

“Following the enactment of the Act, the state government has framed the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules. However, while framing these rules, the state government has ignored the pre-school provision made under section 11 of the Act,” Sarkar said.

Chairperson of Orissa State Commission for Protection of Child Right Saraswati Hembram said the state commission had the statutory obligation to ensure proper implementation of the Act and it would look into all issues relating to education that deprives children.

“Deprivation from access to quality early childhood education is a significant aspect of Right to Education Act. Therefore, the commission will look into the matter,” Hembram said.

Chairperson of state disability commission Kasturi Mohapatra emphasised on the need for inclusive education. The programme was organised by Committee for Legal Aid to Poor (CLAP) and National Campaign for ECCE Rights (NCER) with an objective to review the legal status of the pre-school provision made under the Right to Education Act.