CHENNAI: It is not everyday that students find complete favour and support in their endeavour from their principal. But the sight at Loyola College on Monday was one to behold, when the college Principal Rev Dr B Jeyaraj presented no impassioned speech, but openly congratulated and extended his full support, with apparent exhilaration, to the students on undertaking a task as relevant as spreading awareness about the Right to Education (RTE) Act.This was at the launch of a two-day campaign on the Right to Education Act organised by the students of MSc Visual Communication. On day 1, streetplays and screening of films on the theme were conducted, while on Tuesday, the students were expected to head to villages to enlighten people about a child’s right to free and compulsory education.Delivering the chief guest's address, Kumaresan, chief reporter of the vernacular daily Theekathir, said it was very important to enlighten the beneficiaries of the RTE Act about the legislation. He also questioned if it would suffice to only entitle children in the age group of 6-14 under the Act. “Children today are enrolled in nursery classes even after two years. The RTE Act, however, covers those children who are at least six years old. Likewise, a student would be in Class nine when he is 14 years old. If the government fixes the age as 18 to recognise a person as an adult and a citizen, then students must be considered children till the age of 17. It is not fair to cover a student’s education till class IX and then expect him to pay for higher secondary schooling,” he noted.MLA assures regular school visits:Arun Pandian, actor-producer and DMDK MLA from the Peravurani, said the campaign was highly informative. “I spend one week every month in my constituency and from now on, will visit one school everyday in that week. The schools there have poor infrastructure and students do not even have proper benches to sit on. I will work to my best in improving the standard of education and infrastructure there,” he assured.
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