BENGALURU: Private school managements on Saturday slammed the government for its decision to use Right to Education (RTE) funds to give financial aid of Rs 5,000 each to teachers. Not just have their earlier reimbursements been pending, several expenditure heads have been knocked off, they said adding that this makes them “a sacrificial goat” as the education department tries to cut corners and finance the teachers.
As per an order from the department on July 2, which has been accessed by TNIE, more than two lakh employees of unaided schools -- 1,72,945 teachers and 34,000 non-teaching staff -- will receive Rs 5,000 each as a special Covid package and Rs 10,347.25 lakh has been ordered for release towards this. The Commissioner of Public Instruction has been given the permission to tap the funds from amount that is yet to be released from the RTE reimbursement programme.
The amount not released will be registered on the internal portal and financial aid under the special package will be given to beneficiaries under the Direct Beneficiary Transfer. The private school administrators, who were to receive RTE reimbursement, alleged malpractice by the department by not letting schools avail their rightful reimbursement, thereby saving money for the department.
A complaint has also been raised with Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar seeking action against the BEO and DDPI of Jewargi and the BEO Yadgir for harassment with “ulterior motive” in approving the RTE reimbursement.
Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka (KAMS) general secretary D Shashi Kumar said, “If the department finds lacunas, they can issue notice to the schools and reverify the documents. One cannot, for this reason, cut the money of all schools in the state,” he added.
M Riyaz, a school administrator from Ballari, said that each auditor puts components as per their understanding. However, the local education officials reject the head of expenditure and the same gets processed till the Commissionerate-level without rectification. Private schools are willing to take a legal call on the RTE reimbursement matter once again.