JOIN USRTE: Admission of 13 students withheld
Admission of 13 students, who were provided seats under the Right to Education (RTE) Act in a few schools, here, has been withheld, owing to the delay in payment of fees for the past academic year.
While parents are in a fix over the future of their children, officials of the department of Public Instruction have assured that the fees would be paid and the students can continue education in the same schools.
The issue came to light when a parent, R Mahesh, a resident of Lingambudipalya near here, petitioned the Deputy Director for Public Instruction (DDPI) recently, stating that the school has declined to admit his daughter. His daughter was to be admitted to fourth standard at Shri Sharada Public School, at Dattagalli in the city. “When we approached the school for admission, we were informed that the fees of the student has not been paid by the government.
So, the school authorities said that my daughter cannot continue her education at the school under the RTE,” he said, in his complaint dated April 25.
However, prior to the parent’s complaint, school authorities had written a letter to the DDPI, seeking payment of fees of the said student on March 30 this year. The letter noted that three students were admitted to the school under RTE in 2012-13.
Action sought
“Even though we have submitted details in Form-5, regarding the fees of the students for the academic years 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15, the fee amount is yet to be released,” the letter said. The school authorities had sought a course of action from the department regarding the students.
Besides the students of the said school, 10 students of Vidya Convent at Hootagalli are also facing a similar situation.
When contacted, DDPI H R Basappa said, the issue has been brought to the notice of higher authorities. “We have written to the Commissioner of the department regarding the issue and the fees will be released soon,” he said.
He added that the department would ensure that the students would be allowed to pursue education in the same schools that they are currently studying in.
Delay
Sources said, the problem was the result of a delay exercised by some private schools in submitting audit reports of the school, based on which fee payments are made. While the schools are supposed to submit the reports by December, a few schools are negligent and submit it late.This results in the government sanctioning less than the required amount towards fees of RTE students, the source said.
It is possible that the department might have submitted the details of a few schools late, leading to the problem, the source said.
Even though assurances for the students and parents will be a respite, pending fees for the schools could be paid only next year, as the funds released for the current academic year has already lapsed, the source added.