20 UNAIDED SCHOOLS NOT KEEN TO OPT FOR RTE ADMISSIONS

THANE: As the Right to Education (RTE) admissions began this year, around 20 unaided schools in Thane district have not enrolled for it. Schools said they have not received reimbursementsandtheyarenotkeentoopt for RTE admissions this year.

In October, 300 schools in Thanedistrictweretoldthat50% of the amount spent since 2013 will be reimbursed. But, they have not received any money.

“In a meeting with the education department last week, we hadaskedthemtofirstprovideus the money and then resume the RTEadmissionprocess.Itlearnt thattheinitial50% ofreimbursement is with the zilla parishad and they have to allot it to all schoolsAlthoughtheyassuredus and made us enrol, we have not received the money yet,” said a principal of unaided school in Thane, on condition of anonymity.

SangeetaBhagwat,education officer, Thane zilla parishad, said, “We have held meetings with the schools and we will give reimbursement. However, our priority is to complete the RTE admissionprocesssmoothly.We areintouchwiththestateeducation department and will soon inform the status of the reimbursement.”

Meanwhile, RTE admission process in Thane began after a delay of two days, as unaided schools were demanding reimbursement. “RTE is a financial burdenonusandnothelpingthe schoolinanyway.Wealsohaveto give special attention to students,” said a teacher from an unaided school.

Activistssaidthatthegovernmentshouldnotdelaypayments toschools.“Ifthedepartmenthas providedreimbursementtozilla parishad, why can’t they just release the funds? They cannot delay payments for months as it will affect the admission process,”said Shahid Ansari, educational activist fromMumbra.

ACTIVISTS SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT DELAY PAYMENTS TO SCHOOLS