Bengaluru: Many aided and private schools across the state continue to violate RTE (Right to Education) Act by imposing a heavy fee on books, uniforms and other facilities for RTE students.
“After the RTE came into existence in 2009, there is a clear misuse of the Act when it comes to admission. The private and aided schools are collecting a fee up to '30,000 in the name of fee for books, uniform, and other facilities,” said Dr Kripa Amar Alva, Chairperson, Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR).
According to RTE Rule, under Section 7 rule 2 & Section 8 rule 1 there should not be any discrimination related to textbooks, uniform, library information, technology usage and other activities for the students admitted under 25% quota and also the school can’t impose any kind of fee or expenses for such students.
Dr Alva also said there is a clear violation of this rule by private and aided schools. “The Act clearly states that from tuition fee till the computer education, it has to be free,” she added. And some schools have even called tenders for textbooks. Karnataka Education Act and National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) clearly states that you can’t force parents to buy textbooks and other things from one particular source.
“Around 20-30 such schools in the city are being served with notice this year for calling a tender for distribution of textbooks,” said Dr Alva.
KSPCR is insisting that schools should provide the list of books and sample of the uniform to parent and then let them take a call where to buy it from.
Y. Mariswamy, member of KSCPCR said, “The institutions which usually register in the name of society and trust are not serving the purpose today. They are just doing business in the name of education by violating the laws. I request the education department to take a strict action against such private schools.”
Most parents are confused about the status of the Act and find it complex. “We are not sure about the legalities, but we do not want our child’s education be compromised, so we comply with whatever school asks us to do,” said one of the parents.
Nagasimha G. Rao, Nodal Supervisor and Director of Child Rights Trust, said, “Right to Education has become Right to exploitation. There is no officer to receive complaint from parents if there is an RTE violation. Most of them are clueless about the Act.”
However, school managements beg to differ. "Yes we do outsource for purchase of books and uniform, that is the norm. It becomes difficult for us to bifurcate and then provide these amenities free under RTE to some students," said an administration official of one of the private schools in the city.
Child rights panel harassing us: Pvt schools
The managements of private unaided schools in the state allege that the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KCPCR) has been taking a biased approach in cases pertaining to them. They said the managements are victimized even when a good percentage of parents are fee defaulters and this has created problems mainly for the survival of budget private schools. “Almost 20-30% of parents in budget schools now tend to delay payment of fees and this when added up with the RTE fee reimbursement amount for 25% seats in the school totally choke the financial situation of the institution,” said D. Shashikumar, General Secretary, Karnataka Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools (KAMS). School managements in the city also allege that any step taken towards intimating the parents regarding the due date of fees is termed harassment and the following KCPCR intervention worsens the situation.
“The message is sent through the student only when the parents neglect or ignore several requests/notices/phone calls to remind on the same,” stated the letter sent by the KAMS to Primary and Secondary Education Minister Tanveer Sait.
School principals also allege that management members of a private school were manhandled and abused within the premises of KCPCR in the presence of the Commission, for which a police case has been registered at Halasuru Gate Police Station. KAMS has also demanded an inquiry into their allegations against KCPCR and requested the education department not to consider any recommendation from them without consulting all the stakeholders.
