Speaking on the occasion, dean of the faculty of education of Delhi University Anil Sadgopal suggested, ``Neighbourhood school is the only way to promote good and quality education, as children of both the elite and poor could attend the same school. The education imparted in these schools would also be uniform and of better quality.''

The concept of neighbourhood school was already proving to be a success in other parts of the world, he added.

At present, people of lower middle-class group could not afford to put their children in the private schools, he said adding that schools run by private trusts were only catering to a particular class of the society.

According to Sadgopal, while private schools were catering to all the needs of the students, those from government schools were being deprived of even basic facilities.

``Most of the government schools do not even have proper playgrounds. Computer education is far from reality for them,'' claimed Sadgopal.

Expressing her opinion director of CHETNA, a non-governmental organisation, Indu Capoor said, ``The opinion of a child should be taken into consideration even in matters of course formulation in schools.''

``The children should also be given the right to express themselves and be allowed to participate in decision making,'' she opined.

``Education should not only be made free but compulsory too,'' said Justice Gokhle of Gujarat High Court.

He also opined that education in the mother tongue be made compulsory for the students. He regretted that most of the statutes only existed on papers and people were not even aware of it.

He also spoke on the clause that stated the best interest of the child.

The seminar was organised by UGC/DSA Programme of department of Human Development and family studies, with the support of UNICEF, Gandhinagar.