18 schools fail to implement RTE

Institutions fail to respond to notices; DC to convene meeting today

Following reports that 18 schools in the district have not admitted students to schools under RTE Act, a meeting has been convened by the district administration.

Deputy Commissioner, C Shikha said that principals and management of schools, Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPI) and Block Education Officers of the district will participate in the meeting to discuss the course of action against such schools.

The meeting has been convened as the notices issued by officials of the Department of Public Administration remained unanswered by the erring schools. Earlier, Block Education Officers had issued notices to such schools, seeking why action should not be taken against them for not complying to RTE norms. However, schools did not choose to reply to the notice, following which the DDPI has issued notices to such schools.

“We had requested the schools earlier to strictly comply by the norms set by RTE Act.
Since, some schools have failed to implement the Act, and have also failed to respond to the notice issued by the department,” said DDPI B K Basavaraj. Sources in the department said that all of the 18 schools that have not implemented RTE are CBSE and ICSE schools, while all schools teaching the State syllabus have complied by the regulations.

On the implementation of RTE in schools during the academic year 2012-13, DDPI said that the department had not served notices to any schools for not implementing the RTE Act. “Implementation of the Act was still in its infancy last year. Therefore effective implementation RTE was not possible last year,” the DDPI said.

Decrease in RTE seats

According to statistics from the Department of Public Instruction, 5,305 seats were available in schools under RTE during the academic year 2012-13, of which only 829 seats were availed. The total number of applications received were 1,361.

Interestingly, the number of seats under RTE has reduced to 5,271 seats for the year 2013-14. One of the causes attributed to the dip, is an increase in the number of schools applying for the minority status.

Yet, for the available seats, as many as 7,312 applications were received this year, of which 5,917 applications were approved. Till date, a total of 4,980 students have enrolled in various schools under the Act. As many as 937 seats remain un-utilised under RTE.

Explaining the pendency of seats, DDPI said that some students had applied in two or three schools. “If a student gets admission in one school, the seats in schools to which he had applied remains vacant. However, the seats can be availed by students from a community to whom the seats are reserved. An SC student can avail seat in any school where seats under RTE Act is pending,” he said.

Siege

Citing irregularities in the implementation of RTE Act and alleging collusion between officials and various school administrations, Dalita Sangarsha Samithi will lay siege to DDPI’s office today. The Samithi has urged the department to lodge criminal charges against erring schools.

They have also sought suspension of DDPI, for ‘colluding’ with school managements in order to rob the poor students seeking admissions from their Right to Education.