Private schools give lukewarm response to Cheerag scheme for EWS students

Nitish Sharma

Ambala, April 3

The CM Haryana Equal Education Relief Assistance and Grant Scheme (Cheerag) continues to receive a lukewarm response from private schools in the district. The scheme provides admissions to government school students belonging to economically weaker sections (EWS) in private schools. But only 27 private schools in the district have offered seats till now.

Not being reimbursed

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While the private school operators believe that the scheme is not getting major response due to the problem of reimbursement, the government school teachers’ body is also not happy with the scheme. An Education Department official said, “Since it was not mandatory for the private schools to offer seats under the scheme, very few have been showing interest.”

Very few students show interest

The scheme provides an opportunity to government school students to be admitted to private schools. However, very few students show interest as the Education Department has been continuously increasing facilities at the government schools. The students who wish to take admission in private schools offering seats will be facilitated. Sudhir Kalra, District Elementary Education Officer

While the private school operators believe that the scheme is not getting major response due to the problem of reimbursement, the government school teachers’ body is also not happy with the scheme. An Education Department official said, “Since it was not mandatory for the private schools to offer seats under the scheme, very few have been showing interest.”

Prashant Munjal, Vice President of Haryana Progressive School’s Conference, said, “We have been saying this from the beginning that the Cheerag scheme was a mere eyewash. Moreover, the scheme is going to be phased out in few years as the Education Department has been eliminating one class every year from the scheme. Two years ago, admissions were provided from Class II; last year the admissions were given from Class III; while this year they will be provided from Class IV onwards. The private school operators don’t want to offer seats and then wait for reimbursement. If the government really wanted better result, it would have opened the scheme for all students.”

Amit Chhabra, state body member of the Rajkiya Prathmik Adhyapak Sangh, said: “On one hand, the government is asking private schools to offer seats for government school students and is ready to reimburse their fee, and on the other hand, it has been asking government school teachers to increase enrolment in schools. Due to falling strength of students, the teachers at government schools have been told that if they failed to increase enrolment, explanations would be called for. Such dual policies have been a matter of concern for the teachers. The government should withdraw the Cheerag scheme and focus on the government schools only.”

Meanwhile, District Elementary Education Officer (DEEO) Sudhir Kalra said, “The scheme provides an opportunity to government school students to be admitted in private schools. However, very few students show interest as the Education Department has been continuously increasing facilities at the government schools. The students who wish to take admission in private schools offering seats will be facilitated”

To a query, he said, “Every employee, including the teaching and non-teaching staff has been given a target to increase the enrolment in government schools. They have been asked to bring atleast two students and ensure that there are no out-of-school children in their villages and wards.”