Education

In our society, the fate of 90 percent of people is being determined by the accident of birth and economic conditions. A mere 8 per cent of people have access to higher education. The poor are being compelled to pay heavy amounts even for primary education. In spite of large out-of-pocket expenditure most poor children have no real opportunities to fulfill their potential. Lok Satta Government will completely transform this situation and will ensure that everyone has access to high quality education. Lok Satta government will ensure that the governance apparatus and the political process will revolve around delivery of basic entitlements such as quality education. It will strive to build a non-discriminatory and caste free society by ensuring access to quality education for every child irrespective of caste, gender and economic status

18. Quality Education for All Government and Private Education to be on Same Level

• Lok Satta government will guarantee that government and private schools will be on the same level in terms of medium of instruction, quality of education, examination pattern and basic facilities.
• Free, good quality education for all up to 12th grade.
• A pre-school within the locality for all pre-school children (3 years and above) with nutrition, play, and healthcare.
• English as a language from 1st grade, and mother-tongue as medium of instruction for the first five years.
• Good quality education with English as medium of instruction from 6th grade to 12th grade.
• Integrating intermediate education with high school education
• Free, quality coaching for state and national entrance examinations for all.

19. Modern Facilities for All Schools

• Lok Satta government will ensure that every school will have necessary classrooms, teachers, teaching equipment, computers, broadband internet and assured power supply.
• All schools will be connected through broadband internet.
• All schools will have basic amenities like playground, toilets and clean drinking water.
• Where necessary, hostel and transport facilities will be provided to students.
• Health care facilities will be available at the school.

20. Teachers to Become Stakeholders

• Lok Satta government guarantees that teachers will be partners in the educational system and school administration.
• Teachers will not be treated as mere public servants. Instead, teachers will be given the respect they deserve, as they are the custodians of our children's future. Vidya Volunteers, contract teachers/lecturers, will be given due respect and compensation.
• Teachers will play a key role in Mandal and District Educational Boards.
• Teachers will be freed from all non-academic work.
• There will be a strong and effective inspection mechanism to monitor and improve quality of education.
• Teachers will have opportunities for promotion.
• Constant training to teachers on latest teaching methods.
• Residential facilities to teachers and their families close to school in rural areas.

21. Higher Education for Everyone

• Lok Satta government guarantees that every young person who is deserving and desirous shall have access to quality higher education such as engineering, medicine, computers, all professional courses and university education. Lack of financial resources shall not become a cause for discontinuing the pursuit of higher education.
• Higher educational institutions will be completely revamped to ensure that graduating students have necessary knowledge base and skill sets to navigate the ever changing employment market.
• Every district will have "Higher Education Zone (HEZ)." Investors will be given special incentives to open higher educational institutions of excellence in these zones.

22. Ten Percent Bonus Marks for Students from Rural Areas and Poorer Sections Poor to Compete on Level Playing Field with Rich Students

• Irrespective of caste and religion, all children and youth from poor families will be given 10% bonus marks at the time of entrance examinations, higher education and employment.
• Special efforts to ensure that benefits of reservations are reaped by the poor of all castes.
• This means that students belonging to poorer sections and rural areas 60 marks will be added as bonus marks for 600 marks. This policy will allow poor students to compete on equal terms with students from wealthy families.

Health for All

Our public health system and preventive care are in disarray. As a consequence, lakhs of families are experiencing severe financial and emotional stress. There is a high reliance on out-of-pocket payments for health care, which is imposing disproportionate burden on the poor and many of them are falling below poverty line. Further, lack of quality maternal and child care is contributing to high infant mortality rate. Lok Satta government guarantees high quality health care for all. A citizen can exercise his right for quality health care at any hospital (public or private) and the government will bear the expenses. Lok Satta government's health care policies will ensure that families will no longer have to worry about which hospital to access, and how to generate resources in case of an illness. 27. Quality Health Services Lok Satta government will guarantee All Primary Health Centers will work round the clock. They will be equipped to deal with deliveries and other emergencies 30-100 bed-hospital for every of 75,000 people MMR vaccines to all infants to protect from these diseases. Every district will have a super specialty hospital. In order to access quality health services, patients will no longer have to travel outside the district. 28. Free and Universal Health Care to All (Aarogyaraksha) A patient can go to any government hospital or accredited private hospital of his/her choice and get free treatment and Lok Satta government guarantees a Health Card for this purpose. All expenses for diagnosis, in-patient care, operations and medicines for in-patients will be borne by the Lok Satta government Everyone can access high quality health care for wide range of illnesses such as malaria, heart diseases, maternal care, typhoid, stomach pains and so on. 29. Public-Private Partnership in Health Services (Ubhayatarakam) Along with government hospitals free health care facilities can be availed at small private hospitals and clinics Standardization of costs and protocols for patient care. Hospital will be reimbursed the costs of care every month based on the patients handled and standard costs Patients will be free to visit the hospitals and doctors of their choice, and the money will follow the patients to the best doctors and hospitals. Private doctors can use the facilities of government hospitals.