Education may be a Fundamental Right:Secy,Ministry of HRD

The Pioneer,BBSR,(25th,Feb).
The Union Human Resource Development Ministry is contemplating an amendment to the Constitution to make right to education as a fundamental right. "The aim is to make the right to education legally enforceable in addition to other provisions in the Constitution," Secretary in HRD Ministry Arun Kumar Rath informed during his visit to the State to address the fourth convocation of the North Orissa University at Baripada.
Highest priority is being given to quality education at elementary, secondary and university levels in the 11th Five-year Plan, Rath said, adding that Rs 2.69 lakh crore has been earmarked in the plan for the purpose. "This plan outlay comes close to six per cent of the country's gross domestic product," he said. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, aimed at providing free and universal elementary education to all children, has enrolled 96 per cent children within the age group of six to 14 in schools all over the country, he said. "The Government has taken policy initiative for achievement of universal elementary education," Rath said.
Stressing on construction of new schools and appointment of teachers on a massive scale to bring the school dropouts back, he said efforts are on in this regard by providing cooked food under the mid-day meal scheme to about 10 crore schoolchildren daily in the country.