RTE ADMISSIONS: Parents, schools and state govt now play blame game
Parents claim schools are refusing admissions. Institutions claim that no funds are being provided by state govt. The state, meanwhile, claims that funds are being disbursed properly
Private unaided schools have been informed by the education department to award ongoing admissions through Right to Education (RTE), but schools claimed they have not been paid the pending reimbursement amount. The state education department claimed there will be legal procedures if schools deny RTE admissions to any student.
Parents stated some schools are denying admissions claiming they do not have the funds to sustain the education of students. Parents received this response as the civic education department sent notices to various schools stating it would initiate the process for cancelling the school’s registration. The notice stated that the school would be derecognised if it is found having denied admission to students under the RTE quota.
Parents claimed children are suffering due to the tussle between the government and schools. Pari Desai, a parent said, “The schools are denying admissions saying they do not have money to suffice the education of our children as the government has not provided the funds. While, the government is claiming they are disbursing funds gradually. Our children are suffering due to this tussle as they will lose an entire academic year if they are not admitted.”
Schools under Federation of Schools Association of Maharashtra (FSAM) have been protesting for the reimbursement amount. Rajendra Singh, a member of private schools, earlier told The Free Press Journal, “We can award admissions to students if the government provides us necessary funds to sustain education of students. We have been accepting admissions since 2012 on our own.”
On the other hand, the state claimed they are providing the funds and legal action will be taken if schools deny admissions.
A senior official of state education department managing RTE admissions said, “We have been disbursing funds slowly and schools have been informed that legal action will be taken if they deny admissions.”
Under the RTE Act, 2009, 25 per cent seats in private unaided schools are reserved for marginalised students. Students of families with an annual income less than Rs 1 lakh can apply online for RTE admission. The elementary education of these students (from Class 1 to Class 8) is entirely funded by the state government.