Education activists around the city have raised concerns over the lack of action taken against 218 schools operating without recognition under the Right to Education Act (RTE). The school education department has ordered the state education commissioner to conduct a thorough investigation of complaints.
For many years, the schools have operated without being recognised. They carried on operating despite being unable to extend their recognition.
The school education department wrote a letter on July 27 that says, "Following a complaint by Nitin Dalvi against the Director of Education Sharad Gosavi and the delay in action against schools operating without RTE approvals, kindly conduct an in-depth investigation in the matter at the earliest."
It is interesting to note here that this move comes right after the Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MSCPCR) wrote a letter to the director of education (primary) on July 26 seeking details of action taken against schools operating without RTE approvals. They also sought details of officials who have failed to act against these schools for so many years. MSCPCR wrote them after the BMC failed to file a response regarding the violation of RTE.
Through RTI, the NGO Maharashtra Rajya Vidyarthi, Palak, Shikshak Mahasangh (Maharashtra State Student-Parent Teacher Federation) requested information about schools that were not RTE-approved on a ward-by-ward basis in January. According to the BMC's response, 218 private, unaided elementary schools in the city were unable to have their RTE recognition or approval renewed.
The following schools fall under the RTE recognition violators category:
Anandilal Podar High School (Santacruz),
Raja Shivaji primary school (Dadar),
St Michael’s High School (Mahim),
St Andrew’s High School (primary section, Bandra),
St Aloysius primary school (Santacruz),
The Alexander Girls High School (Fort)
Gloria Convent (Byculla)
Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan Vidyalaya (Borivali),
St Pius X High School (Nahur),
Rustomjee Troopers (Dahisar),
VPM’s Vidya Mandir primary school (Dahisar).
According to the RTE Act, 25% of the total seats are set aside for the socioeconomically disadvantaged groups in society. These kids are expected to receive free education from the schools, which will then seek repayment from the federal and state governments. The Act also mandates ten infrastructural standards for schools, including a compound wall, restrooms, drinking water, playgrounds, etc. The schools must submit an application for an extension or renewal of recognition or accreditation every three years. After the RTE Act was passed, a school's recognition could only be extended if it met the above-mentioned facilities' requirements.
If the schools fail to get their RTE recognition renewed, they could be fined up to INR 10,000 per day until they meet the norms. The management will be liable to pay a penalty of INR 1 lakh for running the school without recognition. The BMC is the statutory body issuing the recognition certificate for primary schools.
Additionally, no school may function in accordance with the RTE Act, 2009 without a certificate of recognition from the relevant government body.
According to Nitin Dalvi, the school administration must submit the financial balance sheet to the government each year in order to receive or renew the RTE recognition. "The school's financial irregularities, such as unauthorized fees, donations, building rent, and financial scandals, will come to light after submitting the balance sheet to the government and the parents, and the school management would be in difficulty. I have often explained to the authorities that these schools have been avoiding the renewal procedure for this reason. Is the school department doing this on purpose?" he questioned.
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