End child labour in supply chains - It's everyone's business!

A private school in Hyderabad was in the headlines when it had the parents of the children raise slogans of protest against the management for increasing the fee by 45 percent. It is right for the parents to protest against such one-sided decisionsA hike that high could eat into the majority savings of a middle-class family. However, it is also important for them to look at the larger picture that many in our country are missing.

Two hundred years ago Victor Hugo said 'He who opens the school doors, closes the doors of prison" hoping that the future generations share his enlightened view and reform the education system, which was then a privilege for few. Sadly today, the situations in our country is what it was in the Victor Hugo era. Our own leaders like Rabindranath Tagore and Lala Lajpat rai quite vociferously voiced their opinions on making education available for everyone.

India has the international standard universities and Technological institutes for the graduates and post graduates. However, the primary education needs the major focus from the government. As of now, 25 percent of the primary schools are controlled by the private players. Parents from every section largely prefer to send their children to the private schools. The reasons for which are obvious.

The parents who cannot afford education for their children are sending their child to the work. India accounts to close to about 40 million child labors, including male and female young adolescents who are under the 18 years of age. While the government schools provide free education, the facilities in the school are not up to the mark.

India's latest amendment to the education bill in 2009 made India one of the 135 countries who have agreed to make the education free for every child. The bill clearly states that it is the fundamental right of every child who is aged between 6 to 14 to get educated.

The underlying problem is, India's inability to provide her children the quality education so that the children from all economic sections and caste groups could go to school together. A free quality education is the only answer for India's child slavery. The government should draw its attention towards the primary education system and provide standard facilities to the children studying in the public schools.

Atluri Sriman Narayana is an Indian dental surgeon,He founded the Sai Oral Health Foundation.He was honored again by the Government of india in 2002, with the fourth highest india civilian of padma shri.