With the 2014-2015 academic year set to open shortly, several organisations have joined the chorus against the delay in implementing the Right to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) provisions in Puducherry.
Activists from the Students Federation of India and Democratic Youth Federation of India met E. Vallavan, Director of the Directorate of School Education, and demanded the reservation of 25 per cent seats in unaided private schools for children from disadvantaged sections of society, as per the RTE Act.
They have alleged that the RTE has not been implemented owing to a lack of funds. They have demanded that the government cancel the recognition of schools which do not implement the provisions.
“We have also demanded that basic facilities in government schools be upgraded and vacancies in teaching posts be filled,” said Ranjith Kumar, vice-president, SFI Puducherry Pradesh Committee. The other demand of activists is to implement reservation for government school students in government medical and engineering colleges.
R. Muruganantham, executive secretary of Human Rights and Consumer Protection Society said though the Central government has set March 31, 2013 as deadline for implementing the provisions of RTE Act and even after the Madras High Court had also issued directions in this regard, the Union Territory government was yet to enforce RTE Act in the State.
When asked about the status of implementation of the Act in Puducherry, Mr. Vallavan said: “Guidelines for the implementation are in place and the file has been submitted to the government. Once it is cleared, it will be taken up.”
Many of the top private unaided schools in Puducherry are minority institutions, which are exempt from the 25 per cent reservation provisions of the Act.
