New Delhi: The government on Saturday said it will hold
consultations with states to evolve a policy on how to give
relaxation to "marginalised" schools that may close down in
view of tough registration conditions under new law.
HRD Minister Kapil Sibal told a press conference that
there are a number of issues on which consultations are
required with the states for implementing the Right To
Education Act.
The Act says that "no school, other than a school
established, owned or controlled by appropriate government or
the local authority, shall, after the commencement of this
Act, be established or function, without obtaining a
certificate of recognition from such authority, by making an
application in form and manner, as may be prescribed."
It provides for a number of conditions like all-weather
building and playground facilities to make a school eligible
for registration.
The Act is silent on fee structure and teachers' pay.
However, states like Delhi have separate laws, which say that
registration would be given to those schools which would
implement government pay scale for teachers.
Under these circumstances, certain schools, whose economic
condition is not good but they impart quality education, may
be closed down.
"Schools should not be closed because of their poor
economic conditions," Sibal said.
Sibal said that the states law will be applicable in
those issues on which the RTE is silent.
While the Central law is silent on teachers' pay, the
Delhi School Education Act, 1973, stipulates that remuneration
of teachers in private schools cannot be less than their
counterparts in government schools.
This may further affect the condition of a number of
"marginalised" schools which offer quality education.
"The marginalised schools will not be marginalised
further," Sibal clarified.
Sibal will meet Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on
Monday on this issue.
Implementation of RTE will be a problem in urban areas as
availability of playground is a problem.
The provision in the Act regarding 25 percent reservation
of seats for poor students in private schools may not be
implemented from this year since admission season is almost
over, he said.
"The states do not have data on how many students are
eligible for admission into schools. This provision may be
implemented from next year," he said.
Sibal said no school can charge capitation fee from
students and added that the government is opposed to
commercialisation of education.
If the state laws are in conflict with RTE, the states
will be asked to bring them at par with the central Act, Sibal
said.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, February 20, 2010, 15:28