Reimbursement to schools that have admitted students under the Right to Education (RTE) Act quota may be delayed as the Education Department is yet to arrive at the actual figure payable to private aided and unaided non-minority schools.
The state-finance department on Friday approved a sum of Rs 29.77 crore as the first installment payable to schools, at a meeting with officials from the Education Department and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).
According to the RTE rules framed by the state government, the first installment (50 per cent) has to be made in September.
Officials face two hurdles —getting data from private schools and determining the per-child expenditure in ural areas.
“The problem we are facing is that some private schools have not furnished the required details to calculate the amount to be paid. We are waiting for details such as how many RTE admissions have been made in kindergarten and class one,” said Vipul Bansal, state project director for SSA.
So far, 50,256 underprivileged children have secured admissions under the RTE in all 34 educational districts of the state. This would translate to Rs 59.54 crore. Half of this amount, Rs 29.77 crore, is payable to schools by the end of September.
“The reimbursement per child is Rs 11,848 for class one. In rural areas, the per child expenditure will be less and schools will not get the full amount,” said an official on condition of anonymity.