Why Education..?

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act or Right to Education Act (RTE) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted on 4 August 2009, which describes the modalities of the importance of free and compulsory education for children between 6 and 14 in India under Article 21A of the Indian Constitution. India became one of 135 countries to make education a fundamental right of every child when the act came into force on 1 April 2010.

Everyone deserves a chance to go to high school or college. But not everyone is fortunate to be able to do so. We should make a conscious effort to impart education to those who cannot afford. There is immense satisfaction in getting someone educated and seeing them living a decent life. It is not just about studying and appearing in an exam. Education is about enhancing our knowledge. It is about making one knowledgeable enough to be employable. There are some countries with very high literacy rates and such countries are extremely prosperous. On the other hand, in India where the literacy rate is low, a large number of people are still living below the poverty line. Education is a prerequisite for the economic prosperity of any nation.

Education can go a long way in expressing yourself freely, in increasing your confidence level; in being able to take decisions independently, prevent you from being cheated, reduce inequality and much more. We must aim to ensure that as many citizens as possible are educated and independent. The long-term benefits of education is immense and perhaps the solution to poverty. The more knowledge you possess, the more you grow. Food, clothing and shelter was a slogan in the 70’s. Fifty years since then, let’s at least add education to the basic three necessities and say, food, clothing, shelter and education.

While there are various reasons behind the extremely poor literacy rate in India, there are many who drop out because of unaffordability. While factors like, shortage of classrooms, lack of basic amenities like, bathrooms, drinking water are something beyond the control of ‘The Power of One’, assisting children who want to study further is something the Trust is extremely keen to do.

There are many charitable trusts in India or many people who are financially supporting students to pursue higher studies. There are many NGOs dedicated for social cause who are helping the community and making a world of difference. ‘The Power of One’ salutes all such organizations and would like to follow suit, albeit in a different way. Many of us are truly blessed and financially better off than others. Hence we must do our bit and provide financial assistance to those who are in need. The key is to not only make a contribution but also spread the word so that more and more people can benefit.

The Government of India has taken several measures to improve the literacy rate in villages and towns of India. State Governments has been directed to ensure and improve literacy rate in districts and villages where people are very poor. There may have been a vast improvement in the literacy rate of India in the last 10 years, but there is still a long way to go! The endeavour of ‘The power of One’ (and other NGOs related to education) is in line with the vision & mission of the Ministry of Human Resource Development. Let’s join hands in further improving the literacy rate.