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RTE Act violation in Sonitpur district alleged

By Shambhu Boro

TEZPUR, June 23 � When the State Education department has taken up various measures to boost the Education sector leaving no child uneducated, serious questions like violation of the Right to Education Act (RTE) have been raised among the conscious section here in Sonitpur district. The act is yet to cover more than 50 government LP schools and more than 20 non-provincialised LP schools in the district. Such neglected schools have been providing education to the children in an unhygienic atmosphere for the last many years.

In a recent survey conducted by the media here, the bad shape of a number of such schools came to light revealing six classes being taken in four corners of a single room. Safe drinking water facility, toilet facility, well-equipped classrooms, teaching learning materials (TLM), including playing aids, library, kitchen room for the mid-day meal etc. are still a far cry for these schools. Though the State Education department tried to convert such �bad shaped� schools into EGS centres or government LP schools taking 2011-12 as the base year, the infrastructure of such LP schools is yet to be developed due to certain official constraints and lackadaisical attitude of a section of district level officers of the department concerned.

During 2011, the State Education department provided Rs 7.48 lakh for the infrastructure development of more than 50 LP schools including No-1 Khengkhrajuli LP School, Jamphoiguri LP School, Dawgapur LP School, Mainawjuli LP School, Agumafur LP School, Hangmafur LP School, 1.No-Hirimbapur LP School, Hainaguri LP School, No 1 & 2- Sijowguri LP School, No-8 Maidangpur LP School, Haldoibari LP School, Besraw LP School, Dipanjali LP School, Jordnpur LP School, Mainawsree (A) and (B) LP School, Mawriapur LP School, Bilasiguri LP School, Sudemjuli LP School, Manikpur LP School, Fakriguri LP School, Thuribari LP School, Dawgapur LP School, Hastahaipara LP School, Rwmoi LP School, Thaiswguri LP School, Jalanbari LP School, Balabari LP School, Nigrajuli LP School, Bidanpur LP School, Oronbari LP School, Hiaguri LP School, Champafwthar LP School, Salkharw LP School, Nijwmpur LP School, Adabari LP School, No-1 Sibia LP School, Jothaipur LP School, Gwtharkhungri LP School, Hainajuli LP School and Onjalw LP School under Dhekiajuli Elementary Education block and Doimwguri LP School, Bhulaguri Basti, 1 No-Balijan, Pisolamukh, Helem Dukhutimukh, Nimabasti, and 1 No-Naharani LP School under Chaidwar Education Block in Sonitpur District. But sources said that out of the 42 LP schools under the Dhekiajuli Block, 34 school buildings have been completed but the remaining eight schools and six LP schools in Chaidwar area are yet to be released their allotted funds following land related constraint.

Expressing total dissatisfaction over the discriminating attitude of the government and the department concerned, the secretary of Tezpur District Boro Sahitya Sabha, Prasanta Boro said that showing certain condition and objection raised by a section of anti-Boro elements, the authority concerned has been creating certain obstructions in implementing the RTI Act in most of the Boro medium LP schools in Dhekiajuli area in the district terming these schools as illegally established on forest lands. �Almost eight LP schools are yet to get their allotted funds till date following such condition for which children of those areas have been deprived from their right to take education�, Boro said adding that as per �The Gazette of India� (Extra ordinary) the Scheduled Tribes and other Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 Scheduled Tribes enjoy the right to hold and live in the forest land under the individual or common occupation for habitation or for self-cultivation for livelihood by a member or members of a forest dwelling scheduled tribe or other traditional forest and notwithstanding anything contained in the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, the Central Government shall provide for diversion of forest land for the facilities managed by the government which involved felling of trees not exceeding seventy five trees per hectare, namely schools, dispensary or hospitals, anganwadi, roads and community centres. The BSS leader further added that even after this right enjoyed by the tribal people provided by the Gazette of India they often face unnecessary harassment in the name of official processes. He urged the authority concerned to reconsider the issue so that the proposed LP schools in the areas concerned could come into fore without any further delay leaving no child uneducated.

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