NEW DELHI: Parents of schoolchildren and community members have been guaranteed a say in the running of city government and aided schools till Class VIII in the recently notified rules under the Right to Education Act. However, the same guideline has also made the principal of a school chairman of its managing committee, negating the guardians' power to a great extent, say parents and activists.
While 75% of the committee members will come from among guardians and community members, "making the principal its chairman is a step backward. Barring Andhra Pradesh, all states have implemented this provision with the principal being the convener of the committee and the chairman from among the parents. Even the central RTE Act also stated the same," said an official of the All India Parents' Association.
But the Delhi government's rules, notified on and enforced from November 23 under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, have many positives as well.
Besides talking elaborately on the composition and the responsibilities of the managing committee, the guideline has also taken the Right to Education beyond the elementary classes (till Class VIII), envisaged composite schools and inclusive education with special provisions for differently abled children.
According to the rules, the cost of education of the students from economically weaker section (EWS) will be reimbursed up to Class XII in private schools that have received government land at a concessional rate. This will mean that 384 private schools in Delhi will have to continue the education of the EWS category students beyond the elementary-education level.
"As per the Delhi Government rules based on a Delhi high court order, the private schools that have received land at concessional rate will have to admit 20% students from the EWS category and bear the cost of their education. As per the RTE Act, the schools need to admit 25% students under the EWS category. The new rules notified by the Directorate of Education, Delhi, stated these students will continue to study in the same school till Class XII. As the cost of education of 20% of these students is to be borne by the schools, the government will reimburse only 5% of these EWS students," said advocate-activist Ashok Agarwal.
Inclusive education has also received a boost with provisions for appropriate and free transport for disabled students till Class VIII in all government and aided schools. The rules specify that the government or the local authority will make appropriate and free transportation arrangements for these children.
The guideline also envisages composite schools so that a student can continue in the same school till at least the completion of elementary education. Hence, the government will upgrade schools having classes till V while those starting from Class VI will add the classes below it. "This will help curtail dropouts as the students will not have to shift schools mid-way," said Agarwal.
