Dept fails to provide info on school

Taj Urdu and Kannada Primary School in Basavakalyan in Bidar district, run by Quereshi Education Society, has been under the administrator since 1995. An RTI activist, Shaik Shafi Ahmed, suspecting a foul play behind keeping the school under the government administrator had filed three separate applications seeking information.

He said he had applied on July 15, 2010 seeking information from the Commissionerate of Public Instruction which could have replied within the specified period of 30 days. The applicant had sought to know - who is the competent authority to appoint and remove an administrator? Is there any time limit for an administrator to continue in a private aided educational institution enjoying religious minority status with special protection under the Constitutional provision? Status report about the school before and after the appointment of the administrator and number of administrators appointed so far. He had also sought to know the constitution of managing committee for the school as provided under the Karnataka Education Act 1983, progress graph, reports of inspection to the school, constitution of the school betterment committee and any representation given by the management for withdrawal of the administrator.

He said the denial of reply to simple issues as attendance registrar of the students and mid-day meal scheme made him suspect foul play.

When the Commissioner didn’t respond, he filed an appeal on September 15 before the First Appellate Authority of the department which was supposed to hold an inquiry within 45 days. However, even to this day it has not held an inquiry, he said. The RTI activist has also sought to know if there was any conspiracy by the department officials in continuing the administrator for 15 years. Shafi Ahmed said: “The Commissioner has deliberately violated the RTI Act. Besides filing a complaint before the State Information Commission, I will approach the Lokayukta for a probe into the issue.”