RTE meet discusses denial of admission, discrimination

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Speaking at a preparatory meeting organised by Shikshana Sampanmoola  Kendragala Okkuta, held to discuss on violation while implementing RTE Act here on Friday, Valored Director Renny D’Souza said that denial of admission in neighbourhood school, collection of capitation fee, conducting screen test, gender discrimination, denial of facilities including toilets, drinking water facilities, teachers misbehaviour with parents, government and aided school teachers conducting private tuition also amount to violation of RTE Act.

He said though the RTE Act guarantees free and compulsory education, there is no clarity on ‘free education’ in the rules framed by the State government. Though the government guarantees free education, all the students from private or aided schools do not get free notebooks and uniforms. Raising the issue on corporal punishment in a school in Sullia taluk, Kasturi of Valored said that instead of punishing the teacher, he has been deputed to neighbouring school and the teacher had promised the BEO that he will not beat students henceforth. However, the parents of the kid are seeking justice to the child.

D’Souza said that owing to the mistake in a circular issued by the authorities, a student was denied of admission in a private school in Mangalore, though the school was willing to admit the student. Children should be admitted anytime of a year under RTE Act. However, the circular has violated it. In the name of deadline for admission, the authorities are depriving the spirit of RTE Act, which needs to be addressed at the RTE adalat.

Shikshana Sampanmoola  Kendragala Okkuta Secretary Kamala Gowda and Kasturi said that a primary school in Karla in Bantwal taluk has two teachers for 99 students. The SDMC has discussed shortage of teachers in its meeting and has passed a resolution and has submitted a petition to the BEO to recruit teachers. Kundaje Lower Primary School also has shortage of teachers.

In another case, a student was denied admission to first standard on the grounds of age inspite of parents agreeing to certifying before the Notary, that they will abide by the government’s rule when the child reaches 10th standard.

D’Souza said that the issue on language (taking permission for Kannada medium and teaching in English medium), failure on the government to upgrade lower primary school by including eighth standard (resulting in drop out case) will also be raised in the adalat.

Discrimination of HIV students
Renny said that in a preparatory meeting held at Udupi on Thursday, an activist had spoken in length on discrimination of HIV students in government schools of Kundapur. The students are discriminated in seating arrangement which never comes to the lime light. Some time, in the name of verification, department officials visit the houses of the victims, as a result, the entire neighbourhood community comes to know of the ailment and start discriminating, he said.