Rights, Rhetoric and Realization

Rights, Rhetoric and Realization 

Effective and Transformative Education is a moral requirement of all modern societies for the sake of social equity, cultural values and ecomomic functioning. (adapted from Schwartzman, 2004).

Rights Based Apporach - has suddenly become fashionable. There is even talk of "RIGHT TO FOOD" food for thought, right ... but what else was RTE supposed to do....To PREVENT/STOP our PRECIOUS YOUNG - ESPECIALLY the vulnerable, deprived and marginalized from THINKING?

An impartial examination of the links between claims and evidence throws up a question, Does the RTE - Guarantee Graduation or EDUCATION?

We seem to excel at privileging symbols over substance. We now have the RTE, resting on rhetoric - albeit its pious expressions, has it become a Fundamental Right to UNFAIR and INFERIOR EDUCATION?

RISK Assessment - Guarantees 'compensation packages' like RTE, RTI, etc.,? What we ought to ADVOCATE is for RIGHTS ASSESSMENT - one that guarantees the FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT of human beings to participate in the process of DEVELOPMENT.

For a civilization that is more than 8000 years old what is a mere 3000? We in India have no cause to ponder or panic over Goethe when he said ... "he who cannot draw on three thousand years is living from hand to mouth"