DC directs primary schools to abide by admission schedule

Mangalore, May 1: The district administration on Monday got an idea of the difficulties faced by schools in implementing the Right to Education Act ( RTE) at a meeting called to discuss the steps to be taken to enforce the act effectively.

Speaking at the meeting deputy commissioner NS Channappa Gowda directed aided and unaided primary school representatives that rules mentioned in the circular issued by the department of public instructions on December 8, 2011, should be followed strictly. "The schedule for admission process mentioned in the circular should be followed by the management of all aided and unaided primary schools," he added.

As per the circular, schools should start distributing application forms from April 20 and the third final list of students to be admitted should be published on May 16. However, it was found during a visit conducted by the representatives of various organizations including Ahinda, an organization of backward, minority and dalits, and Federation of Education Resource Centres to schools that many institutions did not adhere to the rules properly and some institutions had already admitted students flouting the directions in the circular.

Meanwhile, aided and unaided primary school management representatives raised objections to several rules in the circular. They pointed out that the fee structure mentioned in the circular is unscientific. Dakshina Kannada and Udupi English Medium Schools Association president Mohammed Beary said that the maximum fee prescribed by the department is not based on scientific calculation. "School managements find it difficult to run schools as there is no source of income. We have to pay salary to teachers and spend money to develop buildings and other infrastructure. We have invested money without expecting any returns and we do not find any rational in the fee structure imposed by the department," Mohammed said.

It was also brought to the notice of the district administration at the meeting that many unaided schools run by the minorities have no recognition from the government. The DC said that action will be taken to include such institutions in the list of minority unaided schools.