State private schools yet to act on RTE Act

KOCHI: More than a year after the RTE Act 2009 came into force, the rule that private schools should give admission to 25 percent of the totals seats to the weaker section is yet to be implemented in schools in the state. For, the guidelines are yet to be framed.Lida Jacob who has been appointed Commission to study state-specific implementation of RTE Act, said that some schools in Ernakulam district have started implementing the rule. “We are in the process of framing the guidelines. Schools need to know about the breakup - economically weaker, physically handicapped, those suffering from illnesses like AIDS, etc. It will be out soon, as October is the month of admissions. According to the rule, 25 percent of the seats in private schools should go to children from the weaker section and the disadvantaged,” she said.The District Education Office has not received any information regarding the rule, said the DEO. The management of some private schools has been offering seats to those from the weaker section as part of their policy. “We have not earmarked seats in our school. Moreover, the rule states that if there are government schools within a 3-km radius, they are bound to admit the students. Since there are government or aided schools near most private schools in Kerala, we have to look into it only if the government schools or aided schools are unable to admit such students,” said T P M Ibrahim Khan, president of Kerala CBSE School Management Association.“We have not implemented anything on this count. Even otherwise we offer seats to the economically weaker sections and the disadvantaged, it is a school policy,” said Maya Mohan, principal, Chinmaya Vidyalaya. Same is the case with many other schools in Kochi. “As for the RTE Act, the government is yet to give us the guidelines. Moreover, allotting 25 percent of the total seats all of a sudden is not feasible,” said Molly Cyril, principal, Choice School.