Sonu Niigaam Sings On Education

Do what's right
“How inclusive is our education system?” was the topic of the panel discussion organised by CRY as a part of their on-ground events in the city

Child Rights and You (CRY) recently organised a series of on-ground events to motivate the public to participate in asking the government to make amends in the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009, by signing a charter.

The events included a mime, theatre and puppetry performance by a network of theatre groups called Theatre Forum for Child Rights, which highlighted issues surrounding the right to education.
There was also a photography contest-cum-exhibition organised by Jadavpur University Photographic Club and CRY which was an appeal to the public to get themselves involved in highlighting the status of children in the backdrop of education system in India with the theme “Is education really for all?” Dancer Alokananda Ray graced the occasion with her presence

“How inclusive is our education system?” was the topic of the panel discussion organised by CRY as a part of their on-ground events in the city on November 21 at Rotary Sadan. The panelists comprised professors Amiya Bagchi, Prasanta Ray, Mrinmoy Bhattacharya, Dr Ruma Chatterjee and Satarupa Sanyal.

The panel discussion began with a screening of Mera Bhi to Adhikar Haye, a video song with lyrics by Javed Akhtar, music by Aadesh Shrivastava and playback by Sonu Niigaam, Shreya Ghosal, Shaan, Udit Narayan along with many others. The video, which also had chorus by children, voiced their rights to education, right to live free and the right to a child labour-free nation

In his welcome address Dipankar Mazumder, director of CRY questioned, “Why should the children pay for something which is free? They do not voice their opinion and hence remain blatantly ignored. We at CRY are addressing their issues and bringing out their voices in the form of this charter which shall be given to the President of India in the form of a symbolic book.”

Chief guest of the discussion Dr Mahendra Pal Singh, vice-chancellor, West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences in his keynote address discussed about having faced a similar situation of less schools and insufficient teachers in his childhood. He stressed on the equal right to education for all and not just the handpicked few. He said, “There is a greater need to implement directive principles because only then will the fundamental rights gain a foreground.”
There was a screening of an audiovisual clip by volunteers of CRY which spoke about a child rights to education, to aspiration and his right to carve his own niche.

The panelists in the discussion mainly addressed issues of inadequate action taken by the government to aid in education. Issues of improper schools, unqualified teachers and unnecessary high incentive schools were also highlighted. The concept of neighborhood schools gained a high ground terming the Education Act 2009 as inadequate in terms to secure a child’s education rights. The fact that such a less percentage of the GDP of the nation was dedicated to children’s education was also highly accentuated.