Pvt schools discuss reimbursement under RTE Act with UT officials

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, March 13

Representatives of the Independent Schools’ Association (ISA) met officials of the UT Administration to discuss difficulties being faced by private unaided schools on Wednesday.

Manoj Singh Parida, UT Adviser, Education Secretary BL Sharma, School Education Director Rubinderjit Singh Brar and Chief Architect Kapil Setia were present at the meeting.

The ISA had submitted a detailed representation to the Adviser about their issues – the applicability of the Punjab Education Code to the unaided private schools of Chandigarh, delay in reimbursement to schools for reservation of 25 per cent seats under the Right to Education (RTE) Act 2009 and anomalies in the implementation of the fee Act.

HS Mamik, ISA president, stated: “There have been anomalies in the implementation of the Punjab Regulation of Fees of Unaided Educational Institutions Bill, as extended to Chandigarh with effect from the second quarter of the 2018-2019 session. By the time the Act was notified in April last year, private schools had already increased the annual fee to a specific percentage. They should not be penalised for increasing the fee more than 8 per cent for that particular session.”

“There is a format for granting recognition to schools as per the RTE Act. We want the department to follow the RTE format and not implement the Punjab Education Code to the private schools of Chandigarh. Even the Punjab Education Secretary had accepted that the code is applicable to only government-aided schools of Punjab,” added Mamik.

The ISA also proposed that reimbursement for admitting the economically weaker section/disadvantaged groups to the schools should be made within 90 days.

The issue of the floor area ratio (FAR) was also discussed during the meeting. According to Mamik, the FAR was increased up to 0.25 per cent in all schools, but with preconditions. He said: “We were asked to build hostels only in that area. We want to utilise the area for setting up other kinds of infrastructural works. The condition of hostels should be revoked.”

The matter pertaining to the FAR will be looked after by the Architectural Department of the UT.

Edu Dept will take legal opinion: BL Sharma

Education Secretary BL Sharma said: “The schools demand reimbursement for 25 per cent reservation of seats whereas we give them reimbursement for 10 per cent as they are required to reserve 15 per cent of the EWS seats under the land allotment scheme. We will take a legal view on the issues discussed with the representatives of private schools. We will seek legal opinion about the applicability of Punjab Education Code to the private schools.”

Sharma added: “We will put a proposal to the Centre to provide reimbursement up till Class VIII and not just entry classes. We will also try to complete the process of reimbursement in a time-bound manner. A committee may also be formed to look into the EWS admissions reimbursement.”

Edu Dept’s meeting today 

The Education Department is likely to decide the reimbursement amount during a meeting on Thursday. The lower committee had decided an estimated increase between Rs 250 and Rs 300 in the reimbursement amount for private schools under the EWS quota for three subsequent years. According to sources, the amount for three years was worked upon — for 2015-16, the cost will scale up to Rs 1,670; up to Rs 1,970 for 2016-17; and up to Rs 2,270 for the 2017-18 session. A higher-level committee was convened and final rates will be decided after its approval, said sources.