RESEARCH PAPERS S AWARENESS ABOUT RIGHT OF CHILDREN TO FREE AND COMPULSORY (RTE) ACT 2009 AMONG ELEMENTARY TEACHERS IN COIMBATORE DISTRICT By RESHMI RAMACHANDRAN * G. SUBRAMONIAN ** * Research Scholar, Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, College of Education (Autonomous), Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India ** Associate Professor, Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Education (Autonomous), Tamil Nadu, India. ABSTRACT As per RTE Act 2009, all children between the age of 6 and 14 shall have the right to free and compulsory elementary education at neighborhood schools. The facilities as mentioned in the RTE Act should reach into the hands of students properly and the teachers should have a good awareness level. This article explores the awareness of RTE Act 2009 among elementary school teachers in Coimbatore District. In this article, survey method was adopted with 100 elementary school teachers taken as a sample from Coimbatore District. A Personal Data Sheet was used to collect demographic information like qualification, locale, teaching experience and type of management. It was found that awareness level of average group was highest with 58% of the total sample. The mean scores of teachers in rural area was higher than the mean scores of urban area. In this case mean scores of under graduate teachers and post graduate teachers as well as teachers having teaching experience between 0 and 10 years and between 10 and 20 years are almost equal. From the total analysis it was found that the teachers are required to have better awareness about RTE Act in order to attain the aim of the Act. Keywords: RTE Act 2009, Compulsory Elementary Education, Neighborhood Schools. INTRODUCTION The dreams of the founding fathers of constitution to Education helps the development of the society improve the quality of elementary education was according to its ideals to mold the present generation conceptualized with the 86th amendment (2002) via which will have far reaching effect on the future Article 21 A (Part III) which seeks to make free and generations. It aims at individual freedom, empowerment compulsory education as a fundamental right for all and self reliance. Education is therefore considered as children in the age group 6-14 years. The 86th Amendment 'fundamental right' across the globe and essential for the Act 2002, made three specific provisions in the exercise of all human rights. Since India's pre constitution to the facilities and the realization of the free independence period there has been significant and compulsory education to children between the age concern about the quality of education provided in the of 6 and 14 years as a fundamental right. These were (1) country, especially to the masses. The development of add Article 21 A in part III (Fundamental Rights),(II) any country can never be possible without ensuring the modifying Article 45, and (III) adding a new class (K) under spread of education among the masses. Article 51 A (Fundamental duties) making the parent or guardian responsible for providing opportunities for Elementary education is the foundation and forms the education to their children between 6 and 14 years. In basis for all levels of learning which ultimately results in translating this into action, the 'Right of children to free and educating the masses. It develops an individual and compulsory Education Bill' was drafted in 2005. This was equips him/her with analytical capabilities, build up revised and became the Act in August 2009. confidence and fortifies with him/her determination to achieve the goals. i-manager’s Journal on Educational Psychology, Vol. 9 l No. 2 l August - October 2015 27 RESEARCH PAPERS S Review of Related Literature questionnaire constructed for this purpose. The Nithya, (2012) in her study, “A study on the awareness of questionnaire consists of 40 questions related to Right to Education Act (2009) among the B.Ed student awareness on Right to Education act. A survey was teachers”, explained that the male student teachers and conducted among 200 respondents by using the urban area student teachers had better awareness than questionnaire. The data collected were grouped and female student teachers and rural area student teachers. analyzed using mean, SD, 't' test. Findings revealed that Hence, the study recommends that the institutions may the primary school teachers of the Morena district have enhance student's teachers knowledge in contemporary significant awareness on Right to Education act. The result affairs. of the survey showed that the Right to Education act awareness must be promoted. Gadam (2013) conducted a study entitled “Teacher Awareness of the Responsibility under Right to Free and Sudha & Mohmmad (2014) conducted a study on the Compulsory Education Act”. The result of the study awareness among the primary school teachers regarding showed significant impact of teacher's experience and the Right to Education Act, 2009. The researcher has educational qualification on their awareness of the pursued the study to find out the awareness level of the responsibility under RTE Act. Those teachers with high work primary teachers on the basis of region, gender and experience and educational qualification showed better management (Government and non-government). The awareness of the responsibility under RTE Act. researcher has used self made tool to collect the data from the population (primary teachers of Aligarh District) Gandhi & Yadav (2013) conducted a study entitled “A The samples were selected on random basis. The data study of Awareness among Primary School Teacher's were analyzed by using various statistical techniques like towards Right to Education Act 2009”. The findings of the Mean, SD, t-test etc. study revealed that, there was significant difference in awareness of male and female teachers working in Need of the study Government and Private primary school towards Right to Teachers are the cornerstone of good quality of Education Act, 2009. The findings of the study had a Education. Right to free and compulsory education aims bearing for the Researchers, Educational Planners, at providing quality elementary education which is free Principal, Counselors, Teachers and other personnel and compulsory. On that part, the teachers are required related to teaching profession. to know about their responsibility and role towards the Asha & Shivaswamy (2013) undertakes a study to find out society. The teachers are not only to work in the classroom whether the elementary school teachers have an for teaching and learning, they are also required to awareness of the provisions of the Act. The study was provide all facilities for students as required under RTE Act. conducted in the district of Chamarajanagar in When the awareness level of teachers is increased, it will Karnataka and it revealed that there is no significant indirectly help in the development of quality of difference in the awareness level of male and female elementary education for all. This study was conducted teachers as well as urban and rural teachers on RTE Act, with a view to understand the extent to which the teachers but the awareness of the teachers on RTE Act is are aware about the RTE Act. significantly higher among Government school teachers Statement of the Problem than the Private school teachers. The study is stated as Awareness of Right of Children To Thote, Mathew & Rathoure (2013) in their study, makes an Free And Compulsory (RTE) Act 2009 among elementary attempt to find the awareness on Right to Education Act - teachers in Coimbatore District. 2009 among Primary School Teachers of Morena District, Objectives of the study Central India. The information was gathered through a 1. To find out the level awareness of RTE Act among 28 i-manager’s Journal on Educational Psychology, Vol. 9 l No. 2 l August - October 2015 RESEARCH PAPERS S elementary school teachers of Coimbatore District. Variables 2. To find out the difference in awareness of RTE Act The independent variable of the study was awareness among elementary school teachers based on locale, level and the researchers have taken demographic work experience, educational qualification and type of variables of locale, educational qualification, teaching management in Coimbatore District. experience and type of management. Hypotheses of the Study Statistical Techniques Used 1. There is no significant mean difference in the The statistical techniques used for the study were: awareness of RTE act among elementary school ·Descriptive analysis teachers based on their locale of Coimbatore District. ·'t' test. 2. There is no significant mean difference in the ·ANOVA awareness of RTE act among elementary school Analysis teachers based on their educational qualification of Table 1 reveals that the measures of central tendency viz, Coimbatore District. mean, median and mode are almost similar to that of a 3. There is no significant mean difference in the normal distribution. The extent of skewness or index of awareness of RTE Act among elementary school asymmetry is -0.405, the value of kurtosis is -0.439; is less teachers based on the years of teaching experience of than the required value for normal curve (0.263) the Coimbatore District. distribution is platy kurtic. 4. There is no significant mean difference in the From Table 2, it is evident that High awareness group has awareness of RTE Act among elementary school 17% and Low Awareness group has 25% about the teachers based on the type of school of Coimbatore awareness of RTE Act. In case of average group the District. awareness level is highest that is 58% of the total sample. Methodology Discussion of Results Method of Study According to Table 3, the calculated 't' value 3.16 is The present study is descriptive in nature, hence the greater than the table value 2.57 at 0.01 level of researcher adopted the survey method for investigation significance indicate that there is significant difference Population and sample between rural and urban teachers with regard to Population for the present study was identified as working awareness of RTE Act. The mean score of teachers in teachers in Coimbatore district. Among the population urban area (13.88) is lesser than mean scores of teachers 100 elementary teachers handling different subjects in rural area (15.83). It reveals that rural teachers have were selected by using stratified random sampling more awareness of RTE Act. Hence the hypothesis 1 is method. N Mean Median Mode Standard Kurtosis Skewness Tools used for the study Deviation ·Personal data sheet (PDS) was used to collect 100 14.68 15 16 3.16 -0.439 -0.405 information regarding locale, experience, Table 1. Descriptive statistics of the Awareness of RTE Act for total sample of Elementary School educational qualification and type of management. Teachers in Coimbatore District ·The tool used for measuring the awareness level was Variable Category Sample size Percentages the 'Awareness of RTE Act 2009' [Reshmi High awareness group 17 17 Awareness of Ramachandran and Dr. G Subramonian 2013] The RTE Act Average awareness group 58 58 Low awareness group 25 25 questionnaire consists of 30 multiple choice Table 2. Sample size and Percentage of the Variable questions. Awareness of RTE Act for the Three Groups i-manager’s Journal on Educational Psychology, Vol. 9 l No. 2 l August - October 2015 29 RESEARCH PAPERS S HypothesisDimensions Category Statistical t-value Result Sum of Hypothesis Df Mean Squares F Technique at 0.01 Squares N Mean SD Calcu- Table level Between 50.52 2 25.26 2.60 lated value groups Value 4 Within groups 941.24 97 9.70 1 Locale Rural 41 15.83 2.43 Urban 59 13.88 3.38 3..16 2.57 S* Total 991.76 99 2 Under 55 14.8 3.34 Educa Graduates 0.42 2.57 NS** Table 4. Data and result of test of significant difference in tional awareness of RTE Act with respect to type management Qualifi Post 45 14.53 of elementary school teachers cation Graduates 2.96 3 Teaching Below 10 59 14.73 3.31 hence hypothesis 4 is accepted. Experience Years 0.18 2.57 NS** Below 20 41 14.61 2.97 Findings of the Study Years S* -Significant. NS**- Not Significant. The extent of Awareness of RTE Act 2009 among the Table 3. Data and result of test of significant difference in elementary school teachers is found to be average The Awareness of RTE Act based on locale, educational qualification and experience of elementary mean score of teachers in urban area is lesser than mean school teachers Coimbatore District. scores of teachers in rural area. It is understood that teachers in rural areas are having more awareness which rejected. is a good sign in the sense that still majority of areas in India According to Table 3, the calculated value 't' 0.42 is lesser are rural areas. These teachers could play an important than the table value 2.57 at 0.01 level of significance and role in implementation of the Right to Education Act at indicates that there is no significant difference between elementary level. Under Graduates and Post Graduate teachers with regard The mean scores of under graduate teachers is similar to to awareness of RTE Act. The mean score of under the mean scores of post graduate teachers ,it reveals that graduate teachers (14.80) is almost similar to the mean under graduate teachers and post graduate teachers scores of post graduate teachers (14.53). It reveals that have equal awareness of RTE Act. The mean scores of under graduate teachers and post graduate teachers teachers having teaching experience between 0 to 10 have equal awareness of RTE Act. Hence hypothesis 2 is years is almost similar to the mean scores of teachers accepted. having teaching experience between 10 to 20 years. It According to Table 3, the calculated value 't' 0.18 is lesser reveals that teachers having experience between 0 to10 than the table value 2.57 at 0.01 level of significance and years and teachers having experience between 10 to 20 indicates that there is no significant difference between years have equal awareness about RTE Act. teaching experience below 10 years and teaching Suggestions for Further Research experience below 20 years with regard to awareness of RTE Act. The mean score of teachers having teaching ·The same study can be conducted in other districts of experience below 10 years (14.73) is almost similar to the Tamil Nadu state and with other states among mean scores of teachers having teaching experience Elementary and Secondary teachers of various below 20 years (14.61). It reveals that teachers having disciplines. experience below 10 years and below 20 years have ·Some more variables can be taken into account for equal awareness about RTE Act. Hence, the hypothesis 3 is further investigation on critical analysis of RTE Act accepted. passed by the Government of India. Table 4 shows that the obtained F value 2.60 lesser than Conclusion the table value 3.09 at 0.05 level of significance. It shows The future of any nation depends on the sound that there is no significant difference among the mean development of children. Every society has the scores of aided, government and unaided elementary responsibility to protect the well being of the children in the school teachers about the awareness of RTE Act and context of universal elementary education. The Right To 30 i-manager’s Journal on Educational Psychology, Vol. 9 l No. 2 l August - October 2015 RESEARCH PAPERS S Education (RTE) Act would play an important role in [2]. Gadam, A.M. (2013). “Teacher awareness of the achieving Universal elementary education in India. But it is responsibility under Right to free and compulsory clear that after two years of the implementation of the Act Education Act”. International Indexed and Referred It has not covered much ground. There is a lot of Journal, Vol. 49, pp. 38-40. preparatory work to be done in terms of creating [3]. Gandhi,V.,& Yadav,N. (2013). “A study of awareness framework, action plans, experiments as well as creating among Primary school Teachers towards Right to the structures for enabling the environment both at the Education Act- 2009”. International Indexed and centre and the states; enabling the involvement of Referred Journal, Vol. 48, pp. 48-49. teachers, parents, elders, community leaders and society [4]. Nithya, S. (2012). A study on the awareness of Right to collectively for proper implementation of Fundamental Education Act (2009) among the B.Ed student teachers. Right to Education Act throughout the country. Therefore a Unpublished M.Phil dissertation, S.R.K.V.College of vivid awareness about the key factors of Right to Education, Coimbatore. Education Act 2009 among the responsible personalities [5]. Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education for its implementation is needed. Act (2009). Ministry of Human Resource Development. References Gazette of India 27. [1]. Asha, K.V.D & Shivaswamy, M. (2013). Awareness on [6]. Sudha, K & Mohammad, A. (2014). “Awareness right to education act-2009 among elementary school among Primary School Teachers Regarding the Right to Teachers. “Indian Journal of Education Research Education” Act, 2009. European Academic Research. Experimentation and Innovation. Vol. 3(5). Retrived from Vol. 1, pp. 983-985. http://www.ijerei.com/index.php?option=com_content& [7]. Thote,, P. Mathew, L. & Rathoure, D.P.S. (2013). “Right view=article&id=213:awareness-on-right-to-education- to Education Act: An Analysis of Teachers Awareness in act-2009-among-elementary-school-teachers- Central India”. International Journal of Advanced &catid=92:english&Itemid=163. Research . Vol. 3, pp. 184-187. ABOUT THE AUTHORS Reshmi Ramachandran is presently pursuing her Ph.D., at Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Education (Autonomous) Coimbatore as a Senior Research Fellow (SRF). Her qualifications are M.Com, M. Ed, UGC (NET) in Commerce, UGC (NET) JRF in Education and SET in Commerce. She has published various articles in National and International Journals. Dr G. Subramonian is Associate Professor in Commerce at Sri Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya College of Education (Autonomous) Coimbatore. His qualifications are M.Com, M.Ed and M.A (Psychology). He has 20 years of experience in teaching. He has published many articles in National and International Journals. He has also conducted many major and minor research projects. i-manager’s Journal on Educational Psychology, Vol. 9 l No. 2 l August - October 2015 31