Axom Sarba Siksha Abhiyan Mission: Another scheme for children to be axed

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The ASSA (Axom Sarba Siksha Abhiyan) Mission has decided to close yet another scheme related to children.

This move has been initiated following the decision of the Ministry of Education. Accordingly, the Mission will stop the RSTC (Residential Special Training Centre) from March 31, 2022.

The RSTC intervention is for the 'out-of-school' children of the 11-14 years of age group. The RSTC is run in a residential mode.

The prime objective of this intervention is to bring the 'out-of-school' children — including the child labourers, and get them enrolled in his/her age-appropriate class in a formal school. After that, they are provided special training support so that they can be mainstreamed in due course. The special training is provided for a maximum of two years.

There are 96 RSTCs where 900 'Education Volunteers' and 'Caretakers 'are engaged. Mentionably, these Centres have thousands of enrollments.

The Mission directive states, "The old students of RSTCs must be mainstreamed by March 31, 2022, without fail. No fresh learners will be admitted to RSTC as per the directions of the Government of India.

"The agreements with the house owners of the RSTCs which are rented, 'Education Volunteers'/ Caretakers-cum Store Keepers and other staff of the RSTC to be executed."

In this regard, the AARSTCWA (All Assam Residential Special Training Centre Workers Association) has demanded that the decision of the 'Axom Sarba Siksha Abhiyan Mission' to withdraw the RSTC must be revoked immediately.

Talking to 'The Sentinel', the president of AARSTCWA – Abdur Rajib – said, "The RSTC scheme under the 'Sarba Siksha Abhiyan Mission' Mission started in 2003 has already completed 18 years. It was started during the tenure of the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. Its objective was to ensure 'Education to All'."

He added, "There are 900 qualified educators still rendering their services in the 96 RSTCs across the State. During the last 18 years, altogether one lakh of child labourers or the 'out-of-school' children have been brought to the mainstream education."

Abdur added, "However, we – the 'Education Volunteers' received only Rs 7,500 monthly. On the other hand, the fourth-grade employees get Rs 5,500."

Abdur posed, "If the government goes ahead with its decision, what will happen to the 'Education Volunteers' who are rendering their services in these RSTCs. We sincerely seek the intervention of the Chief Minister so that our jobs are secured.

"We also demand that all the employees of RSTC must be regularized."

He added, "We should be appointed according to our experiences. The appointment process must be delinked from TET (Teachers' Eligibility Test)."

The president of AARSTCWA stressed, "Our jobs must be secured up to 60 years of our age. Moreover, if any of the RSTC employees die while in harness, then the government must offer one-time financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh besides and other government facilities.

Also Read:  Sarba Siksha Abhiyan directs CRCCs to conduct classroom transaction

Also watch: