CHENNAI: The Federation of Private School Associations (FePSA) has urged the Tamil Nadu government to revise the Per Child Expenditure (PCE) reimbursed to private schools for children studying under the Right to Education Act for the 2026-27 academic year, apart from clearing pending RTE dues for 2025-26.
In a representation to the government, the association said the PCE had been fixed through a single government order for four academic years from 2022-23 to 2025-26. “The annual amount for LKG and UKG had remained at Rs 6,000 during the period, despite a significant rise in teachers’ salaries, dearness allowance, EPF, electricity, drinking water, building maintenance, smart classroom facilities and teaching materials,” it said.
Citing Madras High Court orders dated September 12, 2024, and June 3, 2025, the association said the government had been directed to review and revise the PCE for forthcoming academic years. It also demanded that the PCE for 2026-27 be based on the actual annual expenditure incurred by the government per student in government schools. It also sought separate PCE rates for each class instead of the existing slabs. For LKG and UKG, it sought a minimum PCE of Rs 10,000, preferably Rs 12,000. It also urged the government to release the 2025-26 RTE reimbursement to all schools within a month and establish a system to pay the amount in two instalments within the same academic year in future.