Pandemic douses RTE flames of hope

It was a dream come true for thousands of parents from poor economical backgrounds after their kids got admissions in private schools for LKG and UKG through the Rights to Education (RTE) Act. However, two years down the lane they are yet to see their kids attend even a single physical class for kindergarten  since the first lockdown in March 2020  even as the Tamil Nadu government is expected to decide in this regard.

Every year on average about 70,000 children were admitted under RTE in private schools from LKG to Class 1 across the State and of the total admitted, two-thirds would be in LKG and UKG.

A senior official from the School Education Department told DT Next that online admissions for RTE were conducted in 2020-2021 and about 76,927 students got admissions in private schools. “Likewise, 70,379 children were admitted under the Act in 2021-2022,” he said adding “about one lakh children, who got admitted in LKG and UKG in the past two years, did not receive even a single class due to lockdown besides COVID-19 pandemic situation”.

He also pointed out that the government was about to reopen the schools for kindergarten at the end of the last September along with their counterparts in higher standards. “However, due to the third wave, the decision had to be withdrawn,” he said.

The official said though the kindergarten schools were continuously closed for about two years, the government is slowly reimbursing the fees to the private schools for the students, who were admitted through RTE and for which 469.63 crore has been already allocated.

“However, the authorities were constantly discussing with health officials about the possibilities of reopening schools for LKG and UKG also,” he added.

“I have admitted my daughter in a private school near Pallavaram in 2020 July for LKG. I never thought my son would study in a private school. However, my dream of son going for physical classes has not been fulfilled,” said S Radhakrishnan, an auto driver from Anakaputhur, who was financially hit during the lockdown.

Tamil Nadu Parents-Teachers Welfare Forum member K Dhanasekar said requests were pouring in from parents to open the schools for LKG and UKG. “Most of the children who were admitted to LKG in 2020 under the RTE Act can’t read and write even after two years,” he said.