Imphal, April 17 2010: For ensuring complete education of women, the existing mind-set of the people on education of girl child should be changed first.

Otherwise, the very purpose of enacting and implementing the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 would also stand defeated, teacher of DM College of Arts Ch Silaramani has stated.

Participating as a resource person in a day-long consultation on rights of children to free and compulsory education organised by Coalition on Children's Rights to Protection, Manipur, Silaramani observed that until and unless the mindset of the people in a patriarchal society on the education of girl child is not changed, it would be impossible to think of a complete education of the women.

Apart from the discriminatory attitude of not allowing the girls have access to higher education, the existing education and social system that gives the impression that girl students are more appropriate for home science and arts subjects should also be changed, she said.

She also pointed out that though the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 has been effected all over India since April, there is no separate provision on education of girl child.

The Act would also be meaningless until and unless the mindset of the parents who feel it is not necessary to educate their daughters has not been changed.

Dr N Pramod Singh also attended the programme as a resource person.

He spoke on the topic of 'The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 : A review with reference to Manipur' .

The consultation programme held in the conference hall of Manipur Human Rights Commission was attended by Commission member Ng Nongyai as chief guest and chairperson of Manipur Mahila Kalyan Samiti M Purnimashi Devi as functional president.

Speaking as chief guest, Ng Nongyai observed that while implementing the Right to Education Act, the issues of Manipur like the State being a border, hilly, underdeveloped State where there is also armed conflict need to be taken into consideration.

All these angles should be taken note of at the time of implementing the Act.

Otherwise, the Act would not serve any purpose to our children, he said.

In her presidential address, Purnimashi stressed on the need for transparency in the process of implementing the Act.

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