These networks have been working together on the issues of the Right to Quality Education, the eradication of Child Labour and the promotion of Child Rights since long independently and in collaboration with each other and with other civil society groups. As the issue of right to Education requires more intensive collaboration, it has been decided by these organizations to form a National Coalition for Education and work extensively on the issue of Education For All.

These partners of the newly formed Coalition came together more closely during the BBA campaign in 1996 “Education for Liberation and Liberation for Education” since than it has been working informally. On the issue of child rights for quality elementary education these organizations have been  working hand in hand. The coalition organized a number of campaigns, activities and collaborative interventions on policy advocacy with the help of each other. All the partners participated in the Shiksha Yatras (Education March) a Nation-wide over 15,000 km and 180 days campaign march. Later the Parliamentary Forum on Education also joined.  While working together on the issue of 93rd Constitutional Amendment calling for free and compulsory education, the spirit of collective strength prompted all the partners to form the National Coalition for Education.

Some Major Milestones

1. The Parliamentary Forum on Education convened by the NCE has been instrumental in making voices of people speaking out on the deteriorating education system in India heard in the National Parliament of India.
   
   
2. Large-scale lobbying and advocacy efforts through marches, signature campaigns, and public hearings by the NCE paved the way for the 93rd Constitutional Amendment making education free and compulsory for children between 6 and 14 years.
   
   
3. Incessant pressure building and networking with like-minded organizations all over India triggered responses from political circles and the United Progressive Alliance government levied  2% education cess ( a surcharge levied by govt for education) and passed the allocation of 6% of the GDP for the education.
   
   
4. NCE contributed in getting government to agree in principle to increase the public expenditure on education to 6% of the gross domestic product or GDP.  
   
   
5. NCE has played a significant role in the formation of Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) forums in many states of India. The MLA forums have since been playing a commendable role in representing education issues.
   
   
6. Large-scale campaigning and advocacy through marches, signature campaigns, public hearings by the NCE contributed significantly in paving the way for the most sought after 93rd Constitutional Amendment which has made education a fundamental right, free and compulsory for children between 6 to 14 years
   
   
7. At grass roots level, NCE played an instrumental role in the formation of Vigilance Committees on Education. Such committees, which are comprised of the peoples’ representatives, teachers and local government, take into account the nature of policies on education.
   
   
8. Advocating the right to education through a Global Action Week (GAW) with partners and a network every year. As a part of GAW in 2005 it was “Send My Friend to School” and in 2006 “Every Child Needs a Teacher”. The GAW chapter in India was organised in 13 states in 2005 and nine states in 2006. Around 25,000 people including students, teachers, parliamentarians, lawyers and activists participated in mobilization in 2006. During Global Action Week 2009 more than 50000 people participated in “Big Read” organized in 13 states.

National Coalition for Education is working with the following objectives

NCE strives to restore the fundamental rights of every child, without exception, to receive free and quality education up to the age of 18, on the basis of equal opportunity and without discrimination on the basis of gender, class, caste, ethnicity or religion, etc.

NCE calls attention to the need to build a national movement towards an educated India - A Second Freedom Struggle. Some specific objectives for this are the following:

1. children under the proposed bill (it is relevant to make a note of the fact that United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Juvenile Justice Act of India etc. follow the same definition of the children i.e., 0-18 years).
2. 6 percent of GDP and 20 percent of Government expenditure should prioritized for education, and half of this public spending on education needs to be targeted towards elementary education.
3. To ensure quality of education, regular and trained teachers should be recruited in place of untrained and Para teachers. Para teachers recruited so far should be trained and regularized.
4. The proposed bill should be amended suitably to implement Common School System.
5. The existing laws should be amended suitably and implemented strictly for total eradication of the menace of child labour, child servitude and child trafficking, and all the children of age group 0-18 years are enrolled in schools.
6. Make constitutional provisions that stipulate that education is a right, in line with the UN Convention.
7. Changes should be carried out in proposed legislation for quality education system with measurable indicators so that parents and community can monitor the quality of education.
8. There should be common schooling system for all the children irrespective of their parent’s socio-economic status.