Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi here on Tuesday stressed the need of making education compulsory for all the children announced that his government would be taking initiatives soon for the development of children in tea garden, riverine (char) and tribal areas where a large number of the kids are deprived of the right to education.
Stressing the need of education to bring an end to exploitation and mitigate poverty, chief minister said, “As poverty is one of the causes for exploitation of children, it can be done away with by ensuring the right to education.”
Inaugurating a state-level Awareness Generation Meet on Child Rights and Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, Mr Gogoi also suggested that everyone should contribute towards ensuring the rights of children on all fronts be it education, food and shelter. The programme has been organised by Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR), in collaboration with Rajiv Gandhi Study Circle, Assam, and UNICEF. He said, “The children, who are our assets and future, must be provided with all facilities, especially the disadvantaged segments. It is our responsibility to make each and every child a good citizen by providing them with a congenial atmosphere for their all-round growth and development.”
Chairperson, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Dr Shantha Sinha who was present on the occasion said, “Special care has to be taken for the marginalised lot if the act has to become effective. By ignoring the deprived section, the purpose of the act can not be fulfilled.”
Dr Sinha, however, said that the implementation of the Right to Education for children is a challenging job and the government alone cannot do it.
“The civil society, the NGOs and particularly the youths will have to join hands with the government to ensure successful implementation of the act,” she said. Chief of UNICEF, Assam, Jeroo Master said that this legislation would help in contributing to the overall development of the state. She stressed on educational rights for children living in char.