CBCI Regional Secretaries for Education and Culture Seek Amendment to RTE
New Delhi (CBCI News): After a round of meeting of heads of Minority schools including the Muslims and other Minorities and various Christian denominations from January till the end of April, the Regional Secretaries from the various CBCI regions met at the CBCI Centre to take stock of the situation regarding the implementation of the R.T.E. and to fine tune the memorandum to be submitted to the Prime Minister, UPA Chairperson and the Education Minister before the monsoon session of the Parliament, seeking amendment to the R.T.E. Bill so as to exempt all Minority institutions whether they are aided or unaided from being under the purview of the R.T.E. as it violates the fundamental rights guaranteed to Minorities, under Article 30(I) of the Constitutions, to establish and administer institutions.
The meeting was led by Bishop Joshua Mar Ignathios, the Chairperson of the CBCI Office for Education & Culture, Some 25 persons attended the meeting. Fr. Joseph Manipadam, the Secretary of the CBCI Office for Education & Culture presented the salient features of the R.T.E., The content of the Supreme Court verdict, the subsequent Amendment of the Act and the subsequent High Court Verdict.
The chairman of the Parliamentary committee for HRD Mr Oscar Fernandes paused few points about the provision and intent of the Act; pointing out also that he was fully aware of the fact that Christian minority institutions are doing even more than what is envisaged in the R.T.E. as far as educating the poor and weaker sections of society was concerned. He assured that we could present the memorandum and he would place it before the parliamentary committee and call for a hearing and see what needs to be done towards the amendment being seeking, namely exempting the aided and unaided minority schools to be exempted from the R.T.E.
The Regional Secretaries also aired their difficulties and harassments faced in their respective regions regarding the R.T.E. They also interacted with Dr. Cyriac Thomas Member, National Minority Commission, on issues regarding difficulties regarding the issuing of Minority Certificates, the issue of whether an NOC is required before starting a school by the minority was also discussed.
Implementation of the Catholic Education Policy was the next issue taken up for discussion. In this regard suggestion was made that study of the Catholic Education Policy should lead us forward towards Policy to Action and then move forward towards acquiring positive signs of implementations with an accreditation procedure that should be introduced. Suggestions towards it were made viz: A team to be formed; Some criteria of evaluation to be drawn up; Get it approved from the Bishops; Visit and evaluation; Grading and Accreditation.