Lok Sabha passes Right to Education Bill

New Delhi, Aug 4 (ANI): In a historic step, the Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Bill, 2008.

The passing of the Bill allows children aged between 6 to 14 years to avail free and compulsory education as a fundamental right.

The Bill, one of the flagship programmes in the 100-dayagenda of the UPA government, also earmarks 25 per cent seats to weaker sections in private schools.

Rajya Sabha, the upper House of the Parliament, had already cleared the Bill. The Lok Sabha put its seal of approval on Tuesday.

Human Resource Minister Kapil Sibal, speaking in the Lok Sabha, described the Bill as "harbinger of a new era for children to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

He said the Bill was a "historic opportunity" to provide a better future to children of the country as there was never such a landmark legislation in the last 62 years, since independence.

"We as a nation cannot afford our children not going to schools," Sibal asserted while noting that the measure details the obligations of the Centre and the States for providing free and compulsory education to children. (ANI)