RTE: Helpless at dept level, schools knock on CS' door

The private schools’ association has approached the chief secretary, seeking his help in getting dues from the government, towards RTE quota fee reimbursements, cleared.

This, after their efforts to get the issues addressed at the department level, came to nought.

The Associated Management of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka (KAMS), in a letter to Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar, said repeated requests to the Department of Public instruction fell on deaf ears.

The letter, a copy of which is with DH, blames laxity on the part of the office of the commissioner, department of public instruction (DPI), and the deputy director of public instruction for the delay in clearing the reimbursement dues.

Shashi Kumar D, general secretary, KAMS, said, “At least Rs 500 crore is due to be paid to us. The average fee is Rs 10,000. We have over six lakh students under RTE,” he said.

While the first half of the reimbursements had to be paid to the schools in September, the other half had to be reimbursed to them by January, said Kumar. However, no money has been paid, Kumar said.

“The commissioner sanctioned the funds after verification. But even after a few weeks, no payment has been made to the schools due to the negligence of DDPIs. The commissioner is out of reach even on the phone,” the letter reads.

The association said that with the commissioner being given responsibilities of several departments (he also holds the post of the director of the pre-university department), several issues that are to be addressed on a day-to-day basis are being delayed.

In the letter, the association has sought that appropriate action be taken against the department officials who mask facts and attempt to cover up the failure to complete the work. When contacted, P C Jaffer, commissioner, DPI, said he was not aware of any such complaint.