RTE implementation to be discussed at education ministers meet

Problems faced by states in the implementation of Right To Education will come up for discussion at an education ministers' conference in New Delhi this month.

Problems faced by states in the implementation of Right To Education will come up for discussion at an education ministers' conference in New Delhi this month.

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The issues to figure at the state education ministers conference on June 18 include teachers shortage, teachers' training, sharing of funds and formulation of rules by the state governments for the new law which came into force on April one this year, official sources said.

The education ministers of all states are scheduled to attend the conference where a new teachers welfare scheme will be finalised. Under this scheme, the government wants to provide insurance coverage and housing facility to all the teachers.

At present, the HRD Ministry is working on a fund-sharing formula in a 65:35 ratio between the Centre and the states. However, states are demanding more funds from the Centre.

The implementation of the Act would require Rs 1.71 lakh crore in the next five years. The states are currently giving 45 per cent share for the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan scheme which would be the main vehicle for implementation of RTE Act.

Besides, there is a shortage of nearly five lakh teachers while there are about three are about 7.6 lakh untrained teachers at elementary stage.