News Analysis India

Tag: Private schools

  • 18,000 poor children denied admission in Delhi private schools: Child Rights Panel

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Highlighting that in the past two years, around 18,000 children under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category have not been provided admission to private schools in the national capital, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has directed the Delhi government to take immediate legal action to ensure uninterrupted education of the concerned children.

    In a letter to Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar, the commission said that they had received various complaints regarding the denial of admission to children belonging to the EWS category by private Delhi schools. This was done despite the children being selected in the lottery system under the RTE Act, 2009.

    Taking cognizance of the complaints about the delay in admission, the commission summoned the dealing officer from the Directorate of Education virtually.

    “During summon hearing, it has come to light that in the academic year 2021-2022 approximate seats allotted for admission of EWS category children in Delhi private schools were 40,000 wherein admission has been given to 28,000 children. Further, in the academic year 2022-2023, approximate seats allotted for admission of EWS category children in Delhi private schools were 33,000, wherein admission has been given to around 27,000 children,” said commission chairperson Priyank Kanoongo in his letter.

    Only 33,000 seats have been allotted in the academic year 2022-23 as against the 40,000 seats for the academic year 2021-22; evidently, 7,000 seats are yet to be allocated for admission of EWS category children by the Directorate of Education in the current academic year. The number is substantially ghastly, Kanoongo said in his letter.

    “Prima facie, in the past two years, around 18,000 children have not been provided admission in Delhi under the EWS category even after allotment by the Directorate of Education,” the letter said.

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    Stressing that fee and compulsory education is the basic constitutional right of any child, Kanoongo said immediate orders should be issued to the appropriate authorities.

    He added that the commission should also be informed about the action taken within seven days of issuing the letter. 

    The letter also said that the commission should be apprised of any pending sub-judice matters related to the issue so that the commission can intervene and be a party in the cases.

  • Jharkhand finance minister says private schools contribute more to education than government schools, draws flak

    Express News Service

    RANCHI: Former Congress chief and Jharkhand finance minister Rameshwar Oraon has sparked controversy with a remark in which he said private schools have contributed more in the field of education than government schools.

    The All India Primary Teacher’s Association has demanded Oraon’s resignation over such an irresponsible and one-sided statement. The primary school teacher’s body also announced that they will come to school wearing black badges on their arms on Tuesday in protest of the statement.

    Oraon, while speaking at the function in Ranchi on Saturday had said that teachers of government schools do not pay attention to teaching students and are better indulged in other activities such as Thekedari (working as contractors). “I believe that contribution of private schools in the field of education in this country has been more than that of government schools and it appears that it will remain the same in future as well,” said Oraon on Saturday.

    Meanwhile, the state BJP unit has asked JMM to clear its stand on the remark of the finance minister. Targeting the government, state BJP president Deepak Prakash said that a senior minister making such remarks makes it clear that the government is running away from its responsibility. “The government’s task is to bring improvement in the education system, but it appears that the JMM-Congress government is running away from its responsibility by leveling such allegations,” he said.

    Education is a state subject and it is the responsibility of the state government to fill vacant posts of teachers and provide the necessary infrastructure to schools and ensure quality education, he added.

    The BJP leader further said that Oraon on the one hand was adamant of relaxing rules to release grants for Urdu schools while on the other hand is cursing teachers of the government schools.

    The president of All Jharkhand Primary Teachers Association, Vijendra Choubey announced that the teachers of primary and middle schools of the state will put black badge on September 14 protesting the irresponsible remark. “Oraon should immediately be sacked from the post of minister as he has spoken against his own system,” said Chaoubey. President of Jharkhand Parents Association, Ajay Rai, also criticized the statement asking Oraon to stop salaries of the teachers and utilize the fund to ensure that every child goes to private schools for education.

  • Bhupesh Baghel’s big announcement, the state government will pay the fees of children studying in private schools through ‘Mahatari Dular Yojna’

    Bhupesh Baghel has made a big announcement, the CM has said that the school fees of children studying in private schools will be borne by the state government under the ‘Mahatari Dular Yojna’ run by the state government.
    Let us inform that the Chhattisgarh government has come up with the Mahtari Dular scheme for the children who have lost their parents or earning member of the family due to Corona. Its notification has been issued. This scheme is starting from academic session 2021-22. Under this, the government will provide free school education up to class 12 to such children. There will also be a fixed scholarship every month.
    According to the scheme, the children who are eligible for this scheme will be provided free education in government schools of the state. Such children will be given priority in admission in Swami Atmanand English Medium School of the State Government. The state government will bear the entire cost of their education. Such students will be given a scholarship of Rs 500 per month from class 1st to 8th and Rs 1000 per month from class 9th to 12th. The government says that such children will be encouraged to pursue higher education after schooling. Training, coaching facilities will also be made available to the talented students for admission in vocational courses. The scheme was approved in the meeting of the State Council of Ministers held on May 18 under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.
    This scheme will be for the families of the natives of Chhattisgarh. Such children whose family earning mother or father or both have died due to corona will come under the purview of this scheme. Such children will also be included in this scheme, whose maintenance problem has arisen due to the absence of adult earning member in the house.

  • Parents teaching children in private schools will have to pay 100% fee

    The double bench of the Supreme Court, while hearing the case, has ruled that Rajasthan’s unaided private schools can recover 100 per cent of the fees at the time of lockdown implemented in 2019-20 during the Corona transition. However, the court has also imposed some conditions for this. During the Corona period, during the online classes, the parents had demanded a concession in the fees, on which the Rajasthan High Court gave a relaxation in the fees giving relief. But after this order of the Supreme Court, now 100% of the fees will have to be paid. Although the Supreme Court has also given some relief to the parents to pay the full year fees, this fee will be paid in 6 installments.

    According to the court’s order, private schools will no longer be able to take the increased fees. From 5 March 2021, students will be able to recover according to the fixed fees in the session 2019-20. Although earlier it was decided to pay only 70 per cent of the tuition fee, but now the entire fee will have to be paid.