IMPHAL, January 21: Several schools in Thoubal district including both private and government have been found ignoring provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education which provides free and compulsory education to children between the age group of 6-14 years, according to the MACR, Thoubal Chapter.
Speaking to media persons, Thoubal Chapter co-convernor M Ingocha said the alliance had recently surveyed several schools in the district during which many were found taking money for admission forms, conducting entrance exams and demanding school transfer certificates from candidates.
He said the general public, unaware of the provisions of the Act, have been trying to provide all that the school authorities were asking for.
The schools`™ actions are uncalled for, he asserted.
The RTE Act, he said guarantees that all children in the age group of 6-14 (class I to VIII) will be provided free and compulsory education in any local school.
Elaborating further on the provisions of the Act, he said the RTE has also provided several guidelines for schools to follow in respect of the basic infrastructure, teacher-student ratio, number of school days in a year, qualification of teachers, etc.
Under section 3.2 of the Act, all fees and charges (expenditures) to be borne by the students during their elementary cycle of education (Class I to VIII) should be made free, he continued.
He said such expenditures are further divided into two- direct expenditure which includes tuition fee, sports, development, examination fees, etc and indirect expenditure, which include expenditure on school uniforms, text-books, transportation, etc.
According to the Act, all these expenditures are to be borne by the State and should be made free to the students, he continued.
Not only this but the Act even guarantees provision of free physical aids like spectacles, crutches for the disabled and learning aids, he said.
Ingocha further pointed out that the Act has also included a provision for `compulsory`™ which means that the school will not only admit the children but ensure that they attend their classes and complete elementary education.
However, it is the `obligation`™ of the government to ensure that these provisions are maintained and the duty of the parents and guardians to ensure that they send their children to the school, he observed.
At the same time although the parents cannot be punished or arrested for not sending their wards to the school, it is the responsibility of the government to try to make the parents send their children to the school.
Under the section 13 of the Act, no school can take capitation fee, screen the students or their parents during admission, no admission test can be conducted, he said adding that any school found ignoring these provisions could be fined upto Rs 25000 for the first offence which could be increased to Rs 50,000 for the second offence.
He continued that in case the number of students applying for admission is more than the available seats, then the school authorities can select the students on a random basis or lottery basis.