Private educational institutions ignore RTE rule

Vijayawada(NTR District): Admission process has commenced in private educational institutions for the 2022-23 academic year across the State. But most institutions are not implementing section 12 (3) (1) of Right to Education Act of 2009. As per the Act, 25% free seats in Class I in all private and corporate unaided schools should be allotted to children from poor background. If the government won't act now, private educational institutions will fill all the seats and will not provide 25 per cent reservations to poor children.

Keeping in view the affordability of different categories of population in our country for better education, the Government of India has provided 25% free seats in Class I in all private and corporate unaided schools under Section 12 (3) (1) of RTE Act, 2009.

As per Rule 9 (4) of AP Right to Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules 2010, first priority should be given to children belonging to orphan category, HIV affected children and disabled children. After filling seats with children of these categories, admissions should be given to the children belonging to SC/ST category and weaker sections in their neighbourhood schools.

Former chairman of Krishna District Child Welfare Committee BVS Kumar said time is running out for starting the new academic year. If the government does not act now, private schools will fill all seats and there will be no scope for poor children to get admissions.

Under this RTE Act 2009, the prescribed fee charged by private unaided schools for these free admissions should be reimbursed to private unaided schools by the state Government either from their funds or from the Line department expenses or from funds provided by the Government of India on elementary education (SSA), said BVS Kumar.

Advocate Thandava Yogesh filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in Andhra Pradesh High Court in 2017, seeking directions to the AP government to implement 25% free admissions to the disadvantaged and weaker section children as stipulated under Section 12 (3) (1) of the Act.

BVS Kumar said a division Bench headed by Chief Justice Prashanth Kumar Mishra has delivered judgment on January 3, 2021 directing the AP government to implement Section 12 (1) (3) of the RTE Act 2009 from 2022-23 academic year.

Kumar said despite the High Court directions, State education department has not published the names of unaided private schools, the vacancies available in different schools and a notification for admissions to free seats so far. All the schools in the State are going to be reopened on July 4, 2022 and admission process has already started in many corporate schools.

He expressed apprehension that if the government do not act immediately on this issue, the underprivileged children will be foregoing their tight for Free and Compulsory Education for the forthcoming academic year. He appealed to civil society and AP State Commission for protecting the right of these children for their bright future.

In case the government needs some more time to follow the official procedures and give a notification regarding free admissions, the government should instruct all private unaided schools in the State to keep aside 25% available seats in Class I to be filled later under the provisions of the RTE Act, he suggested.