EWS reimbursement to private schools proposed at Rs 3K per child

Tribune News Service

Naina Mishra

Chandigarh, December 28

The Chandigarh Education Department has proposed per child cost of Rs 3,026 for the academic session of 2022-2023 for the reimbursement of admitting economically weaker section (EWS) students by the private schools.

For the academic year 2021-22, the amount was Rs 2,618.

As private schools are required to reserve 15 per cent seats for children belonging to the economically weaker section under the Land Allotment Scheme of the UT, the Education Department gives reimbursement over and above 15 per cent only out of a total of 25 per cent seat reservation as mandated under the Right to Education (RTE).

We have raised the contention over reimbursement rates, i.e. per child cost decided by the department. We assume that the per child cost should be at least Rs 5,000-6,000 in a class of 45 students, whereas in a class of 25 students, it should be around Rs 8,000. —HS Mamik, president, Independent School Association

The RTE Act under Section 12 (2) provides for reimbursement of expenditure to schools providing free and compulsory elementary education as specified in Clause (c) of sub-section (l) of Section 12. All private unaided schools complying with the Section 12(1) (c) of the RTE Act submit their claim for reimbursement with Chandigarh Education Department. The school is reimbursed the expenditure incurred by it either on the basis of per-child expenditure incurred by the state, or the actual amount charged; whichever is lesser.

The expenditure incurred by the government from its own funds and funds provided by the Centre and by any other authority on elementary education in respect of all government schools must be divided by the total number of children enrolled in all such schools to arrive at per child expenditure incurred by the appropriate government.

Ever since the RTE Act, 2009 was implemented, there has been an increase in the per child cost from Rs 825 per month in 2010-2011 to Rs 3,026 per month in 2022-2023. The department is yet to decide on the per child cost for the 2023-2024 session.

Private schools claim the amount spend by them per month/per child is much higher as compared to the amount determined by the UT. Schools find themselves in a spot when it came to providing high-end facilities to students while bearing the financial burden of the studies of EWS students.

HS Mamik, president, Independent School Association, said, “We have raised the contention over reimbursement rates i.e. per child cost decided by the department. We assume that the per child cost should be at least Rs 5,000-6,000 in class of 45 students, whereas in a class of 25 students, the cost should be around Rs 8,000.”

Amount spent much higher, say Pvt schools

Private schools claim that the amount spent by the management per month per child is much higher as compared to the amount determined by the UT. Private schools find themselves in a spot when it comes to providing high-end facilities to students while bearing the financial burden of the studies of EWS students

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