Saturday, June 25, 2016

Private schools violating RTE norms over EWS admissions

The Hindu‎‎: Bhubaneswar: Saturday, June 25, 2016.
Even six years after implementation of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE Act) in Odisha, privately-run schools continued to deceive the State government over admission of Economically Weaker Section (EWS), alleged parents, educationists and rights activists here on Friday.
“No control over private schools”
“The State government has absolutely no control over private schools which have mushroomed in urban areas over the years and more recently in rural pockets. As per RTE Act, government should monitor whether a private school has earmarked 25 per cent of the seats for EWS students. But in Odisha, the government does not know the number of private schools operating in the State,” said Sanjukta Panigrahi, a parent, addressing a press conference.
Ms. Panigrahi alleged, “several private schools in an attempt to avoid admitting students from EWS come up with advertisements for very few seats. Subsequently, they keep on adding students as per their convenience. The fraud in private schools would not have been possible had the government information as to what is going on in these schools.”
Activists alleged the government has no concrete information about private schools, which have been consistently refusing to address grievance of parents.
“State School and Mass Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra recently informed Odisha Assembly that there were 75 private schools functioning in Bhubaneswar. But as per information obtained under RTI Act, there are 93 schools in the capital city,” said Pradip Pradhan, RTI Activist.
Mr. Pradhan also charged that, “the State government had never bothered to know if students from poorer section of society were getting admission in private schools, most of which were either provided land free of cost or at subsidised rate. It was in December 2014, the Block Education Officers were directed to compile information on these schools” Mr. Pradhan pointed out.
Activists alleged private schools continued to violate CBSE guideline by indiscriminately effecting fee hikes and forcing students to buy books of publication house of their choice instead of NCERT books.
Activists alleged that the State government has no concrete information about private schools.