HYDERABAD: Nithin Gollamudi, a city student dreams to be a doctor and secretly wants to be the state topper in medical entrance examination. Belonging to an economically and socially backward family, the 12-year-old who was helping his father in a masonry shop in Chotuppal till two years ago even while going to a nearby government school says that it would have been impossible for him to dream this big till recently. With the implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) act, 2009, Nithin along with his twin brother Nikesh got admission in a reputed city school located in Begumpet and are now doing well on their own in a class of 40 students. What the RTE gave them is an ability to dream big.
Unlike the twins, however, most children in the state may not be able to enjoy the benefit of the 25 % reservation under RTE. Over 12 lakh out of school children (as per the human development report, 2007) in the state are left in the lurch, with the state government deciding to go slow on the implementation of this act which was deemed to have the potential of changing existing social orders. Even after the Supreme Court directed private schools in the country to implement section 12 of the act by virtue of which 25 per cent of the seats in their classrooms will be reserved for students from underprivileged backgrounds, the state government has been taking its own time to even debate the possibilities of implementing the act. This even as neighbouring states like Karnataka and Maharashtra have started the reservation process under the act.
While the Supreme Court order that came on April 12, 2012, had called for immediate action, the state appointed committee which looks into the implementation of the act has met exactly twice so far, bringing out no substantial outcome. The state's apathy has come at a time when a majority of city schools had welcomed the act and the SC order. "About 17,500 schools in the state had agreed to the implementation of the act on the very day the Supreme Court order asking implementation of section 12 was issued. The government seems to be lagging behind as it claims that it does not have enough money to fund the studies of children," said S Srinivas Reddy, president, recognised schools managements' association. As per the act, the government is supposed to give private schools an amount equal to the per-child expenditure it sets aside for government school children every year. Other than the state schools, many CBSE and ICSE schools located in the city had also welcomed the act. "The act will help build richer classrooms. When children from lower social classes come into a classroom they might help other students to learn about sharing and caring. Classroom becomes a place to learn," said principal of a school located in Bachupally.
The schools which do not want to implement the act, however, are immune to it as a government order issued in 2010 exempts them from a strict implementation of section 12. As per the GO, private schools need to open their gates to under privileged children only after all the seats in neighbouring government schools get filled. "With most private schools in Hyderabad being surrounded by government and aided schools the act loses it teeth when it comes to reservations in top private schools which charge anywhere between Rs 50,000 to Rs 1.5 lakh as annual fee. This is complete distortion of the act," said Anil Sadgopal, an educationist and RTE activist.
Schools, however maintained that they need no RTE act to govern them to care for poor children from the neighbourhood. Some of the schools like P Obul Reddy School, Jubilee Hills and Vidyaranya School, Lower Tank Bund are known for admitting a good percent of students from poor economic backgrounds into their classrooms. Principals of schools like DPS and DAV Public School too maintained that they have been giving subsidized education to several children from the neighbourhood. "We consider it our moral responsibility to give back to the community. Since help children of poor economic background since the past few years," said a principal. Schools, however set some criteria for offering help. "We definitely consider students who are meritorious or good in sports but come from lower income groups for free admission. But it depends on the demand. Every year, many parents who cannot afford the fee amount approach us for their child's admission, and the school sponsors the child," said Shamita Bhattacharya, principal of St Andrews School Bowenpally. Jubilee Hills Public School too has a provision for underprivileged children from which around 25 students benefit every year. Families which come below the poverty line apply for scholarship and the tuition fees of those whose applications are approved are taken care of by the Kode Venkatadri Charitable Trust.
The activists, however, said that the kind act of schools to help children from the neighbourhood would only qualify as charity and not as a right. "What the schools have been doing so far was not monitored by any government body. But RTE makes it mandatory for all private education institutions to reserve seats for the poor. And the number of seats the schools have been reserving to help poor students is mere tokenism. The act ensures inclusion of more number of students under the same banner," said Achyuta Rao, president, Balala Hakkula Sangham, a child rights NGO. The primary education department which is in charge of implementing the ACT said that the committee which looks into the implementation of the act will soon come up with a working plan to enforce certain aspects of the act.
Besides, the problem with its implementation is that the entire government machinery thinks this is an SSA programme, says M Venkat Reddy, national convenor of MV Foundation. He said that the government has to ensure that this is a right there will be legal implications on those denying the right. "Finally, a redressal mechanism is missing. We have asked the state government to have a mechanism where parents can go and air their grievance," Venkat Reddy said.
Schools, however, maintained that they will not be able to help the government in implementing the act unless a clear blueprint of the plan is given to them. "The people who should be availing the benefits of this act are not aware of it. There is no proper road map to make the vision a reality. When we are given proper instructions on RTE from the government, then we will certainly follow them," said Sita Kiran, representative of a city school.
