LS passes education bill

NEW DELHI, NOV. 28. The Lok Sabha tonight unanimously passed the Constitution Amendment Bill to make education for children in the age group of 6-14 years a fundamental right.

Replying to a four-hour debate on the bill, the Human Resource Development Minister, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, allayed the apprehension of the Leader of the Opposition, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, that an ``attempt was being made to review school syllabi to propagate a particular ideology,'' saying, ``we want to develop a curriculum which is in the interests of the country and... help in meeting the goal of secularism.''

Dr. Joshi said the amendment was a ``revolutionary'' step as it would make it the duty of the parents to send their children to school but would not penalise them for not doing so.

The Government was also making efforts to make education free for girls up to the graduation level. Efforts would also be made to provide professional courses like engineering and medicine free of cost to girls belonging to the Scheduled Tribes.

As of now, the task of making elementary education a fundamental right could not be envisaged in view of the ``enormity of numbers.'' However, the Government proposed to increase funding for the Integrated Child Development Scheme.

Reacting to the Opposition's allegations of ``saffronisation'' of education, the Minister said the Government was not in favour of banning any book but ``we should not create any disharmony in society and children should not get wrong ideas. Once the children grow up, they can read for themselves.''

- PTI

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