Heads of government schools, while acknowledging the increase in enrolment, look for betterment of infrastructure, in order to attract students who otherwise seek admission in private schools under the 25 percent RTE (Right to Education) quota.
At present, only a small portion of the annual budgetary allotment for school education is utilised for infrastructure development.
For instance, the government has made a budgetary allocation of a whoping Rs. 36895.89 crore for the year 2022-23 for school education. However, the expenditure on infrastructure development is substantially low, according to school heads.
The Government has, this year, announced Perasiriyar Anbazhagan School Development Program. But the expenditure is capped at Rs.7000 crore over the next 5 years.
As per official information, during 2021-22, civil works such as new High and Higher Secondary school buildings, additional classrooms, computer rooms, library buildings, laboratories, toilets, drinking water facilities, ramps with hand rails, repair works, furnitures and Science Lab equipments etc., were initiated at a cost of Rs.59.63 crore.
According to a senior school headmaster here, the bulk of the allocation is utilised for payment of salary. The amount re-imbursed to the private schools could well be utilised for infrastructure development in the government schools, he explained.
Last year, 56,687 children were admitted under RTE provision. The government had reimbursed Rs.314.64 crore to the private schools that had admitted the children during 2020-21. The RTE related claims and other aspects of the verification process along with the financial reconciliation has been enabled through EMIS (Education Management Information System).
According to officials, the admissions under RTE Act were currently in progress in hundreds of private schools in the Central region. There are 83 schools in Ariyalur district, 121 in Karur, 143 in Mayiladuthurai, 74 in Nagapattinam, 63 in Perambalur, 211 in Pudukottai, 258 in Thanjavur, 291 in Tiruchi , and 170 schools in Tiruvarur district.
The application process was carried out from April 20 to May 25, and the students are being admitted based on the lot system. According to a senior official, the schools have been instructed to update the details of the number of seats available on their websites for extending the free education for students admitted to the extent of 25 percent of their entry level seats.
As per rules, children admitted under RTE provision are not required to pay any kind of fee or charges or expenses all through their elementary education.
