Only 171 EWS kids enrolled in Ambala

Tribune News Service

Nitish Sharma

Ambala, September 27

The scheme to provide admission to students belonging to economically weaker sections (EWS) and disadvantaged groups under the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE) continues to receive a lukewarm response.

Will become popular in coming years

We are hopeful that RTE will get popular and more children will start getting the benefits in the coming years. Sudhir Kalra, District Elementary Education Officer, Ambala

Despite the Education Department giving another opportunity of seeking admission in September, just 171 children were enrolled in the district in the ongoing academic session. The last date for admission was September 22. Last year, 98 students were admitted to schools.

Last year, the state government omitted Rule 134A of the Haryana School Education Rules and implemented the RTE Act with the pre-primary and Class I admissions.

While the official of the Education Department believes that the scheme will gradually become popular and see good number admissions in the coming years. Private school operators said the admissions at the entry-level classes only resulted in lower enrolment.

Meanwhile, the private school operators claim that the state government is yet to start reimbursements to the private schools for teaching those students who got admission under the RTE.

Kulbhushan Sharma, president, Federation of Private Schools Welfare Association, said “Under the RTE, the admissions are given at the entry-level classes only, which is the main reason behind low enrolment. The schools are also not interested in promoting the scheme due to the tendency of the government of keeping the dues pending. The reimbursement of teaching the EWS students under Rule 134-A is the prime reason behind the dispute between the private schools and the government. If the dues under the RTE Act are not cleared on time, it will also become a cause of conflict.”

Prashant Munjal, vice-president, Haryana Progressive Schools’ Conference, said, “Reimbursement is to be made in two instalments, but no reimbursement has been made so far. We demand that the entire amount be cleared at the earliest and make the next payments on time, else the schools will be forced to stop taking admissions under the RTE Act from the next session. The schools should be reimbursed according to the rules.”

Meanwhile, the District Elementary Education Officer (DEEO), Ambala, Sudhir Kalra, said “As many as 171 students have got admission this year. The department has been positively promoting the RTE Act and also gave another opportunity in September so that the children belonging to the weaker section could get the admission in private schools. We are hopeful that the RTE will get popular and more children will start getting the benefits in the coming years.”

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