JOIN USThe Karnataka Private Schools Forum (KPSF) on Friday alleged that the department of public instruction (DPI) had not yet reimbursed unaided schools for admissions made under the Right to Education (RTE) Act for the academic year 2013-14.
“There are 4,400 private schools all over the State and none of them has been reimbursed. The RTE admissions for 2014-15 academic year will begin in March. We approached the authorities three weeks ago and they assured us that the money would be released in a week. But the promise is yet to be fulfilled,” KPSF Secretary H Ramanath Prabhu said.
He further said the government had “pressurised” private schools into submitting their balance sheet while reimbursing for RTE admissions.
KPSF president N Venkatachalaiah said: “The Union government releases Rs 5,900 for every LKG and Rs 11,800 for class one student every year, to the DPI. The department, in turn, has to release that amount, adding 30 per cent to it, to private schools. But unfortunately, this is not happening and we are clueless about where all the money is going?”
The members also stressed that civic bodies like the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Ltd Bescom) and the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) were charging schools at commercial rates.
“Two years ago, private schools were told to pay water, electricity and commercial tax at domestic rates. But that is not happening. We will protest and seek legal remedy in case the State government does not address our problems in the coming days,” he said.