HYDERABAD: At a time when the number of private schools in Telangana is increasing, the implementation of Section 12 (1) (C) of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act by the government will open up opportunities for lakhs of students to study in private schools.
Recently, the Supreme Court of India issued notice on a petition seeking the enforcement of the section which makes it mandatory for unaided private schools to reserve 25% of their entry-level seats for children belonging to economically weaker sections and disadvantaged groups.
According to Section 12 (1) (C) of Right to Education Act (RTE), the government has to bear the cost of education of the children. Instead of implementing a common education system as suggested by the Kothari Commission, the Central government had added this clause to achieve universalisation of elementary education. Even though the law was passed in 2009, as many as 11 States and four union territories are yet to issue a notice regarding its implementation.
Speaking to TNIE, Dr Sandeep Pandey, Ramon Magsaysay awardee and the socialist leader said that among these states, Telangana stands out also because it has one of the worst literacy rates in the country, he added. To highlight the issue, Pandey had recently staged a protest in Dharna Chowk here with the members of Democratic Sangha.
“There is a politically strong lobby of private schools which is putting pressure on the governments for non-implementation of sections. In the case of Telangana, schools have claimed that funding is the reason they are not implementing the section. However, this argument is clearly an excuse,” Pandey says.
Many school owners privately confide that they want to avoid admitting students from economically weaker backgrounds for reasons such as being shabby, unhygienic, poor in English, not having basic etiquette, and some going as far as to say they will steal. “This mindset can be seen reflected in the actions of powerful corporate coaching groups like Chaitanya and Narayana, which have infiltrated school education. They are blocking the entry of underprivileged children into elite schools,” he adds.
A PIL has even been filed in the Telangana High Court seeking enforcement of the Section 12 (1) (C). “Despite mentioning it several times, the present chief justice is not intent to take up the matter saying that it is not urgent,” says T Yogesh, the petitioner.
A similar PIL was filed by him in Andhra Pradesh High Court which in January, 2022 directed the government to implement the section as per the standard operating procedure issued by National Commission for Protection of Child Rights. Still, the government intentionally delayed the admission,” says Yogesh.Speaking to TNIE, Secretary of the Education Department Vakati Karuna said that the government was looking into the matter.
‘Meeting with schools’
Vakati Karuna added that a meeting with private school owners will be arranged in the next week