State wants poor kids admitted in top schools

Mumbai, July 13: Now, even poor students may be able to enrol at schools that their parents would otherwise not be able to afford. With the state all set to accept the Right to Education (RTE) Act.

With this, the state will mandate that all schools, including non-aided ones, will have to accept 25 per cent of students from the ‘’underprivileged’ and ‘economically weaker’ section of society.

The state is expected to accept the RTE at its cabinet meeting on Wednesday, and will be implemented from the next academic year.

The RTE, introduced by the Centre, has been accepted by all states except Jammu and Kashmir.

“Every school in the state, including international schools will have to comply. We will form committees to monitor if every school has 25 per cent students from the weaker sections,” said a senior official of the Education Department. “All schools will have to provide free education to these children.”

Every school in the state will have to admit 25 per cent students from the lower economic strata

The government will provide Rs 12,000 per student per year to all schools. Until now, the money was being given only to aided schools, the official said.

The department is also set to frame rules for implementation of the RTE Act. “To get recognition, every school should have minimum infrastructure,” said the official.

Besides, plans are afoot to increase the number of schools in rural areas. Under the RTE Act, even kindergarten and Montessori schools will be regulated, the official said.

Principalspeak

“This seems a bit difficult. Yes, education is for all, but children from the weaker sections may find it tough to mix up with kids from other backgrounds,” said Principal of Rajhans Vidyalaya Deepika Shirvastava. “The government should not blindly make rules.”

Sonu Aroura, vice-principal, Gundecha Academy said that this would only create a divide.

–Agencies