BANGALORE: Reiterating the state government’s commitment to implement Right to Education act from the current academic year, Primary and Secondary Education Minister Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri said confusion was bound to crop up since the Act is being implemented for the first time.
After a meeting with the representatives of private schools managements association here, Kageri said the government was ready to sort out the issues. “As and when confusion arises, we will clear them on priority,” he said.
Admitting that there has been a delay on the part of state government in implementing the RTE Act, the Minister felt the private school management’s issues could have been sorted out had they been given enough time. “I can understand the concerns of private schools. But nothing can be done since the orders have come from the apex court.”
The Minister also ruled out appealing to the Supreme Court to take a re-look into the implementation of the new Act from current year.
Kageri announced said the classification of backward class students would be done in consultation with the Social Welfare Department and that notification for the same would be issued soon.
‘Govt Must Resolve Issues’
Karnataka State Private Schools Management Federation Sudi Suresh told Express that private schools have absolutely no problems in implementing the SC’s directions provided had the notification been done four to six months ago. Even Education Department officials too have no idea that when the Act will be notified, he said. “Let Primary and Secondary Education Minister Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri and the Education Department resolve all the contentious issues and then the private schools are ready to implement the Act from the current academic year,” he said.
Asked how private schools completed the admission process even before the government announced the calendar of events for the year 2012-13, he said the process of admissions had been going on for the last 60 years. The education department sends an objecting memo only after the completion of admission process. “Hence, private schools went ahead and filled all the seats in advance. It is not possible to start admissions from scratch as it has been completed long ago. Now the ball is in the department’s court and it is up to for the officials concerned to resolve matters.”