THR RIGHT TO EDUCATION (RTE) AND us

Yesterday I got a mail from the Principal of my daughter's Alma Mater, proudly stating that te director of the school- a certain Mrs.Jayshree Periwaal has been quoted in the Wall Street Journal.
The understatement that she was the only other person to be quoted beside the PM was also shouted from the roof top. The statement of Ms. Periwaal is as follows:
Quote---
It's not just difficult but impractical from the point of view of providing quality education," says Jayshree Periwal, director of Step by Step High School, a private school with 1,500 students in the western Indian city of Jaipur. "Admitting students randomly without considering their age and academic level disturbs the atmosphere of the classroom," Ms. Periwal says.
---- Unquote.
What a statement indeed!
Firstly , as we know the directors of schools are largely the owners with the pursestrings but not the requisite qualification.
But our Ms.Periwal actually started Step By Step play school in Jaipur and later with Political patronage and otherwise raised (not razed) it to a multiboard (CBSE,GCSE AND IB). She is indeed a gifted teacher and is quite a popular figure amongst her students.
Secondly, the school uses the state property as it's playground and it was basically located in it's prsent form for that reason. Hence her objections are largely unfounded since the state has already subsidised the school indirectly.
I was quite perturbed by her statement and tried to circulate the following message amongst the parents.
QUOTE==
Dear Principal, Parents and students of SBS High

It was indeed a proud moment when the Parliament passed the RTE .
It gives each and every child born in the country (whether rich OR poor, citizen or illegal immigrant who declares herself as the citizen) the right to ask to be educated.
It might come as a surprise to you but even a beggar in the country is a tax payer as (s)he pays the VAT/Sales tax when she purchases any item of consumption. This tax she cannot avoid paying like the millions of rich and affluent businessmen of the country who avoid Income Tax to drive their Benzes. Hence even the children of that beggar has the right to be educated.
It is also a matter of pride that the passage of this important legislation has been applauded by world bodies and government who have pledged support to the Indian Government.

At such a time it seems very sad that the Director of our great school has a different opinion, even if it is in her personal capacity.
It may come as a surprise to all of you that Mahatma Gandhi IB School , Ahmadabad has as a policy matter, 20% of the seats reserved for the children economic weaker section.
In another 5 years we will be having 65% of our population as the youngest in the world.
This population will not be coming out of public OR international schools. In fact a large part of this young population may not be even educated sufficiently.
Hence this the time has come that not only we follow a policy of EACH ONE TEACH ONE , we must persuade the children of our support staff like drivers, domestic help, gardeners, cleaning staff to get education.
In my last 2 years of stay in Jaipur I have witnessed a plethora of excellent social initiatives by the people. These initiatives are either absent in rest of the country or started very reluctantly.

However in this initiative the students of SBS have been largely absent.
Now that the board exams are over for class X and XII- you can take time out from your busy social schedule and help in this noble initiative.
This step of the government is not only noble but will prove to be historic like the economic liberalisation of 1991 or the nuclear tests of 1998.

Be a part of this initiative and be proud of yourselves.
Whatever be the cost of educating this generation it must be borne by us – the few fortunate ones.
Let the Wall Street Journal keep interviewing whom they want- this is our country and we will change it.

Sorry Madam Principal there is nothing in the statement that makes any Indian feel proud. The director has still not earned to be mentioned in the same line as the Prime Minister.

Sincerely Your’s
Rajeeve Kaushik
+91 9799844929
+91 9997704691

==Unquote.

All the readers of this message are requested to kindly pass on this message to as many people as possible so that this noble act meets with some success.