Chandigarh Contrary to its last week’s communication to the UT Administration, the Independent School’s Association (ISA), on Sunday, decided to await the conversion of unclaimed seats reserved for less priviledged children under the Right to Education (RTE)Act 2009 into general, a little longer.
However, ISA has not specified any “deadline” for the conversion, this time. In a communication sent to the DPI (Schools) last week, ISA President, H S Mamik, had stated that the department must provide clarity on child-mapping survey, notification of reimbursements by Central government, clearance of last year’s reimbursements and filling the government school nursery seats first, by February 20.
“In the absence of guidelines on the above said duties by February 20, we will be left with no option but to explain our point of view to the eligible students and their parents through a public notice in newspapers,” stated the communication.
However, speaking to Newsline, on Sunday, Mamik, said, “We had communicated our concerns to the Administration and requested them to decide everything quickly. Since they have now assured us that everything will probably be finalised at the earliest, we have decided to wait as long it may take.”
As per ISA’s records, there are no takers for over 50 per cent of about 3,000 seats reserved under RTE across 73 private schools.
The Administration, meanwhile, is in the process of examining the land allotment letters issued to each of the schools to finalise the amount of reimbursements to be provided to specific schools.
Under Chandigarh’s land allotment rule, schools are supposed to teach certain percentage of children from Economically Weaker Section (EWS) for free, in lieu of availing land on concessional rates.
The Administration had, last year, declared that those schools which have been allotted land after 1996, will not receive reimbursements for all the 25 per cent children EWS children admitted under RTE.
For instance, if a school is supposed to teach 15 percent EWS children for free under land allotment rule, then it will receive reimbursements only for the education of the remaining 10 per cent EWS children. The schools had challenged the Administration’s move in the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the matter is still subjudice.
DPI (Schools) Sandeep Hans said, “We are waiting for the schools to send in details of application received against the reserved seats. Our finance department is in the process of finalising the per-child-expenditure to be reimbursed and the amount of reimbursement for each school.”
“We will provide reimbursements in accordance with the percentage included in land allotment rule. We will provide them with the remaining amount later, in accordance with the court’s decision,” Hans added.
ExpressIndia, 20 February 2012
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