The State government has ordered all private schools, including State, Central, and other board curriculum, operating in Karnataka to register under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act-2009, as per the rules framed in 2012.
The Commissioner of Public Instruction has issued a circular in this regard, and has warned officials that if there is a school registered under the State/Central curriculum within their jurisdiction, but the affiliation under the RTE Act is not renewed, they will be held responsible.
What is in the circular?
Under the RTE Act, it is mandatory for all private unaided schools of all curricula to meet the criteria set by the policy for affiliation of the State. The period of such affiliation is five years. If any school violates the norms or provisions of the Act, the affiliation of such school can be revoked.
Strict action can be taken if the school continues to run without getting recognition or renewing the recognition or continues to run the school even after the recognition has been withdrawn.
Deputy Directors of Public Instruction (DDPIs) are competent authorities to grant the recognition and action has been taken against schools violating the rules.
In addition, the Commissioner directed the DDPIs to publish the list of recognised schools to be made available to the public.
In a recent order, the High Court of Karnataka has also said that even boarding schools should also compulsorily register under the RTE Act.
Why this initiation?
Until 2015, almost all private schools were registered under the RTE Act. However, most of the Central affiliated schools have stopped registration and renewal since 2015, said department sources.
According to a survey by the Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) last year, it identified 63 private schools running illegally without affiliation of either the State or the Central boards. As many as 74 schools upgraded classes without affiliation. A total of 95 schools were found to be cheating parents and students by offering other board education, though they had permission to offer only the State board. Around 294 schools were illegally offering English-medium education, despite being permitted to only teach in Kannada medium, and 141 schools identified for shifting buildings without getting permission by the department concerned.
Instead of taking action against these schools, the government took a u-turn and announced that in the interest of students, no action will be initiated against the unauthorised schools.
This year too, the DSEL conducted a survey of unauthorised schools, and instead of taking action against them and publishing their names in the public domain, the department has published a list of authorised private schools.
“However, after facing criticism in this regard, the department has issued an order making it mandatory for registration and affiliation of all private schools under the RTE Act-2009,” sources said.
Shashikumar D., general secretary of Associated Managements of Schools in Karnataka (KAMS), said: “Earlier, the State government implemented RTE quota seats in private schools after completion of the registration of private schools under the Act. But, after 2015, the DSEL has neglected this rule and many Central board schools did not get the registration under the RTE quota. Providing 25% of free seats for the economically and socially weaker section students is one part of the Act. But the rest of the Act gives an elaborate quality and accountability system for the education system. The department should take strict action against schools that don’t conform.”
