Private schools urge govt to disburse funds allocated for RTE

Though  the  previous  government  had  allocated  Rs  304.14  crore  to  reimburse  the  schools  for  the  2020-21  academic  year,  the  amount  has  not  been   disbursed   till   now,   claimed   private school managements.

Since admissions for this year began  on  Monday,  more  than  15,000  children  have  already  enrolled  under RTE, officials said. According to a  senior  School  Education  Department  official,  about  one  lakh  students are expected to be enrolled under  the  scheme  this  year,  higher  than  the  last  year’s  figure  of  about  86,000.“In the last two years, more than 1.60  lakh  children  were  admitted  under  RTE  in  about  8,000  private  schools  across  the  State.

However,  though officials had promised to reimburse   the   fees   arrear   amount   during  the  previous  regime,  it  has  not been done till now,” said DC Elangovan,  secretary,  Federation  of  Associations  of  Private  Schools  in  Tamil Nadu.

The   organisation   had   already   submitted  several  petitions  to  the  State government on various issues that  the  private  schools  face,  especially RTE fee dues, he said. “Many schools  were  affected  by  lockdown  due  to  non-payment  of  fees  by  parents. If the government provides the fees arrears, it would help them run the  academic  activities  this  year,”  he said.

KR Nandhakumar, general secretary,  Tamil  Nadu  Private  Nursery,  Primary,     Matriculation,     Higher     Secondary and CBSE Schools’ Association, claimed that more than 100 middle   and   lower   rung   private   schools across the State were on the verge of closure due to financial crisis brought about by the pandemic.“Most  of  the  schools  could  not  pay electricity bills or renew the institution’s  vehicle/bus  fitness  certificate    from    Transport    Department.

We  have  sought  an  appointment   with   the   Chief   Minister   to   raise  these  issues  and  find  a  solution,” he said.The  senior  School  Education  Department  official  claimed  that  the  previous government had allocated the  funds  only  in  February-March.  Hence,  the  fee  arrear  could  not  be  distributed   to   the   private   school   managements  due  to  the  election  and other activities at that time, he said