RTE violations: More city schools on dept’s radar
Deepankar Sharda
Chandigarh, May 13
The UT Education Department is planning to take action (as they took against St Kabir School, Sector 26, by ‘derecognising’ the school) against other schools for not following the RTE obligations, claimed highly placed sources.
Action will be taken as per rules
The administration is bound to take action against the schools, which are not following the Right to Education (RTE) provisions. There are a number of schools on the list and action will be taken as per rules. The schools have to abide by the rules. We, as the administration, are bound to implement the law of the land.
Harsuhinder Pal Singh Brar, Director, School Education
A list had already been prepared by the department and the schools were already put on notice, added a source in the department.
“The administration is bound to take action against the schools, which are not following the Right To Education (RTE) provisions. There are a number of schools on the list and action will be taken as per rules. The schools have to abide by the rules. We, as the administration, are bound to implement the law of the land,” said Harsuhinder Pal Singh Brar, Director, School Education.
Meanwhile, the Independent School Association, Chandigarh, claimed that the department had no right to force ‘false’ narrative of the RTE Act on the schools.
“The matter is already sub judice and the department took the step to pressure other schools. In reality, the department can’t force us for ‘free education’ at a time when they are yet to reimburse the fee to schools under the RTE Act. We have a hearing on May 18 and we will put forward the facts. Decisions cannot be taken citing a simple executive order,” said HS Mamik, president, ISA.
Under the RTE Act, 25 per cent seats have to be reserved for Economically Weaker Section (EWS) students in the unaided recognised non-minority schools. The critereon for recognition mandates that the schools follow provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act and other instructions issued by the Education Department related to admissions of students under the EWS category and disadvantaged group in letter and spirit.
School management’s message to parents
Meanwhile, the St Kabir School management sent another message to the parents of students stating that the action by the department was ‘uncalled for’.
“The recent decision has come as a surprise. We are ensuring the responsibility of 1,600 students and 250 staff members while taking any further course of action. The recent decision of the department is a move to arm-twist the school into accepting their illegal and arbitrary demands. The department came out with a scheme in 1996 for allotting lands to schools, which provided that the schools would provide 15 per cent reservations to students belonging to the EWS.
This scheme was not applicable to our school, having been allotted the land in 1988. The department is misconstruing the facts and forcefully imposing the 1996 scheme. The matter pertaining to the imposition of the 1996 scheme, among other issues, is already pending before the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the ISA is contesting the same. We are not against the admission to EWS students and would like to support the cause but in a lawful manner. We understand that this situation has caused some anxiety and uncertainty among parents, students and the staff, however, I want to assure you that we will fight for our rights while keeping the interests of the students and staff foremost,” Gurpreet Singh Bakshi, administrator of the school.
