Right to Education Seat Given in Private Schools If No Government Schools Nearby

Children from disadvantaged sections looking for admission under the neighborhood quota of Right To Education (RTE) can now get enrolled in unaided private schools only if there are no government schools available in their locality. The state government informed that it is reimbursing to private unaided schools the tuition fees of 6 lakh students under RTE and this has hurdled enrolment in government schools. The RTE amendment which is released on 30th January 2019, said that the new neighborhood condition will be applicable from the upcoming academic year. Rule 4 of the RTE Act has been amended by the government which says that no unaided schools will be identified for the aim of children admission from disadvantaged groups or weaker sections, where there is the presence of government schools and unaided schools within the neighborhood. The RTE Act takes neighborhood as an area within 1km for those children who are seeking to get admission in Classes Ist to 5th, and 3km for Classes 6th to 8th. The move has drawn strong criticism from parents who say their options have shrunk more, while RTE activists and schools are worried and divided.

According to Ramchandran M, an RTE aspirant’s parent from RT Nagar, the government cannot impose these type of rules on them just because they want to raise enrolment in government schools. At least, parents should be given the freedom to select between government and aided schools on the basis of the facilities which are available. The new rule will be relevant from the coming academic year. Teachers said that government schools need better infrastructure and facilities. There must be infrastructural development before the students are asked to get admission into government schools. Apart from this, there should be qualified teachers for all subjects, especially English, mathematics and science. Parliamentary affairs minister, Krishna Byregowda, in December 2018, had said that children would be referred for RTE reimbursement and admission in private schools only if they are unable to get a seat in nearby government schools. The idea behind this rule was to improve enrolment in government schools.

Keeping the security of the child in mind, every parent would want a school in the neighborhood but the only thing the parents won’t compromise on today is the medium of education and infrastructure and facilities of schools according to the RTE Task Force convener Nagasimha G Rao. Mostly parents want admission under RTE looks the best English-medium school for their child. Schools said that they would wait and watch.

By: Preeti Narula

Content: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/right-to-education-seat-in-private-schools-only-if-no-government-ones-nearby/articleshow/67894373.cms?UTM_Source=Google_Newsstand&UTM_Campaign=RSS_Feed&UTM_Medium=Referral