While applications for school admission under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009 are being received across the State for the upcoming academic year, the State government is yet to receive over ₹400 crore due to it from the Centre for implementing the scheme.
While the State government is seeking funds for pre-school education, as cited in Section 12 (1) (c) of the Act, the Centre has been insisting that the State government bear the expenses for admissions to pre-school education.
Though the State government has taken up the issue with the Centre multiple times, there has been no favourable response. Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, in his memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2017, raised this issue, but it is yet to be addressed, pointed out a senior official.
For admissions made to private schools under the RTE Act during 2013-14 and 2014-15, a reimbursement of ₹97 crore was released by the State government, which claimed the sum under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. But only ₹18 lakh was approved by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development.
Irrespective of the provision in the RTE Act (Section 12 (1) (c)) covering pre-school education, the Union Ministry placing the “entire burden of reimbursement of fees for 2013-14 and 2014-15 on the State government is contrary to law,” the memorandum stated.
The State government would have to be reimbursed a total sum of ₹407 crore for 3,28,910 students under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
A senior official said: “Our State government is only asking what we are entitled to under the Act. As per Section 7 of the Act, both the Centre and the State governments have concurrent responsibility to provide funds to carry out the scheme.”
Neighbourhood schools
Despite repeated attempts, Maneesh Garg, Joint Secretary (SE-I) of the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development, could not be reached for a comment. State Platform for Common School System (SPCSS) general secretary P.B. Prince Gajendra Babu insisted that the State government declare all schools as neighbourhood schools in line with the Acharya Ramamurti Commission report in 1991.
If specific work force is appointed in government schools for maintaining hygiene level and special teachers for teaching English language, the falling admission percentage in public schools could be arrested, he said.
“Non-discrimination and the right to dignity of a student can be ensured only in a government school,” he said.
While Karnataka has brought in an amendment to the effect that the RTE was applicable only in government schools, Kerala was ensuring good percentage of admission in government schools, he said.
School Education Secretary Pradeep Yadav could not be reached for a comment.
