RTE Act: Session nears end, Haryana private schools yet to be reimbursed

Tribune News Service

Nitish Sharma

Ambala, February 28

The ongoing academic session is about to end, but the state government is yet to start making reimbursement to private schools for teaching students belonging to the economically weaker sections (EWSs) and disadvantaged groups under the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act.

Clear amount by March

The reimbursement was to be made in two instalments (Sept & March), but the Edu Dept fixed it at Rs 1,730/month as per child expense for 2022-23 in Jan only. No reimbursement has been made so far. The dept should clear the amount by March. Saurabh Kapoor, spokesperson, haryana progressive schools conference

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

The private school bodies said the reimbursement of teaching EWS students under Rule 134-A and the authenticity of income certificates were among the prime reasons behind the dispute between private schools and the government. If the dues under the RTE Act were also not cleared in time, it would also become a cause of conflict and the schools would stop taking new admissions from the next session.

The Act provides 25 per cent admission to the EWS and disadvantaged group students in private schools. The schools will be reimbursed as per the fees mentioned by the schools in their Form-6 or the reimbursement fixed by the department, whichever was less.

Saurabh Kapoor, spokesperson for the Haryana Progressive Schools’ Conference, said, “The reimbursement was to be made in two instalments (September and then in March). But the Education Department has fixed the amount of Rs 1,730 per month as per child expense for the session 2022-23, in January only. No reimbursement has been made so far and the session is about to end. The department should clear the amount by March.”

Prashant Munjal, vice-president, Haryana Progressive Schools Conference, said: “We are not satisfied with the amount fixed. It has been decided to hold a meeting later this week and chalk out a strategy. A meeting will be held with the higher officials in the Education Department and we will raise our concerns. We demand that the entire amount should be cleared by March-end, else the schools will be forced to not to take admissions under the RTE Act from the next session.”

Kulbhushan Sharma, president, National Independent Schools Alliance, said “The academic session is about the end, but the schools are yet to receive the reimbursement under the RTE Act. The schools have no objection in teaching the children belonging to the EWS category but the government should clear the dues in time, else the amount will pile up and create issues between the schools and the parents. A letter has been sent to the state Education Minister in this regard.”

Ambala District Education Officer Sudhir Kalra said, “A letter has been received from the directorate regarding the reimbursement fixed under the RTE Act. We will implement the directions received from the higher authorities.”

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