Cheerag scheme irks govt school teachers

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Ambala, July 20

Unhappy with the CM Haryana Equal Education Relief Assistance and Grant (Cheerag) scheme, the Rajkiya Prathmik Shikshak Sangh has threatened to open a front against the government if the scheme was not withdrawn.

The scheme was launched by the state government to provide admission to government school students belonging to economically weaker sections, parents having annual income up to Rs 1.80 lakh, in private schools.

Improve schools, recruit teachers

The money that the govt is ready to pay private schools should be used to improve schools and recruit more teachers. We have all infrastructure, but still the govt wants to send students to private schools. —Amit Chhabra, District president, Shikshak sangh

The admissions under the scheme were to be provided from Class II to XII. The government has fixed the reimbursement amount of Rs 700 per student for classes II to V, Rs 900 for classes VI to VIII, and Rs 1,100 for classes IX to XII. Form-6 of the schools will be checked in which the school has mentioned the fee, and whichever is lesser (between the form-6 and the amount fixed by the government) will be given to the schools.

The government school teachers said that while on the one hand, the government schools were struggling to improve enrolment, on the other hand, the government was trying to send the students to private schools. The objective of the scheme is not the welfare of students belonging to economically weaker sections, but the closure of government schools.

The district unit of the Shikshak Sangh today held a demonstration, reached outside the DC office and submitted a memorandum to the City Magistrate Ambala for CM Manohar Lal Khattar seeking the withdrawal of the scheme.

District president of the Shikshak Sangh, Amit Chhabra, said, “The money that government is ready to pay the private schools should be used to improve the government schools and recruit more teachers. We have all infrastructure, but still the government wants to send the students to private schools. The scheme is for the students belonging to economically weaker sections, the government will reimburse the fee, but what about the costly books, uniform, and other expenses that the parents have to bear in private schools.”

“There are many schools with only one teacher in villages. Instead of formulating policies to send government school students to private schools, attention should be paid to improve the situation in government schools. Besides the CHEERAG scheme, there are several issues, including problems being faced on the MIS portal, books, transfers and promotions. The CM should have a dialogue with the Sangh so that the concerns could be raised. If the scheme was not withdrawn, we would be forced to open a front against the government,” he added.

Was launched for ews govt school pupils

The scheme was launched by the state government to provide admission to government school students belonging to economically weaker sections, parents having annual income up to Rs 1.80 lakh, in private schools