A majority of those applying for admission under the quota provided by Right of Children To Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act were seeking seats only in a few select private schools and were reluctant to entertain other options, according to Chief Education Officer A. Gnanagowri.
The Act mandates private schools to set aside 25 per cent of their total seats for students from disadvantaged sections in their neighbourhood.
Speaking to The Hindu here on Thursday, she said that most parents wanted to admit their children only in the few sought-after schools. Despite appeals to provide alterative schools in the application forms, she said that many parents refused to do so.
In Coimbatore district, she said that of the total 4,086 seats made available for the RTE Act quota, 2,527 seats or 61.84 per cent had been filled up as on July 15.
A total of 3,194 applicants were issued to parents and 3,044 applications were submitted.
She said that Block Resource Teachers conducted inspections of schools to ensure only eligible students were admitted under this quota. The details of students were verified by officials of the Department of School Education.
However, Ms. Gnanagowri said that there was no internal reservation within the 25 per cent and schools could admit students in the various categories.
The ‘neighbourhood’ schools are defined as those within one km for classes I to V, three km for classes VI to VIII, five km for classes IX and X and seven km for classes XI and XII from the place of residence of the applicants, she added.
