Reimbursement for private schools: Rs 1,000 per child in reserved category

The UT Education Department has come out with the reimbursement amount even as private schools mull the reservation of 25 per cent seats for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and disadvantaged groups.

The department claims the amount has been calculated keeping in view the RTE Act and the expenditure incurred on it by government schools.

“As for the reimbursement to private schools for students under 10 per cent reserved category,an amount has to be calculated,” said Secretary (Education) Ram Niwas. “Thus,the Education Department,after survey and analysis of city government schools,has come out with this amount of Rs 1,000 per student per month. This amount will be finalised after certain deliberations.”

The RTE Act says: “The total expenditure incurred by the appropriate government from its own funds,and funds provided by the Central Government and by any other authority,on elementary education in respect of all government schools,divided by the total number of children enrolled in all such schools,shall be per child expenditure incurred by the appropriate government.”

Also,the Act clearly mentions that if the schools are already under obligation to provide free education to a specified number of children for having received any land,building,equipment or other facilities,free of cost or at a concessional rate,the school will not be entitled for reimbursement to the extent of such obligation.

The schools will also be asked by the Department to maintain a separate bank account for the amount received as reimbursement.

Disagreement over 25% reservation

*Disagreement is still rife between private schools and the Education department over the reservation and the modalities of ensuring the schools abide to this norm.

*The private schools have demanded that the department act as a nodal body and conduct a centralised admission procedure for these seats.

*Also,they demand that the reimbursement be paid in the beginning of the year,pleading that the salaries of teachers have to be paid on time.

*The department has said no to both these demands,claiming that given the limited number of its staff,centralised admission is not possible and as per the Act,reimbursement is to be done only after expenditure is incurred by the schools and not in advance.