Question : ADMISSION OF EWS CHILDREN IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS

(a) whether 25 per cent reservation meant for children belonging to the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) under the Right to Education Act, 2009 is being implemented uniformally in all the private schools across the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(c) the details of the claims and the amount of money reimbursed to the private schools for providing free education to the EWS students during the last three years and the current year, State-wise;

(d) whether the Government has taken any steps to create awareness amongst the weaker sections about the reservation in the private schools as per the provisions of the RTE Act; and

(e) if so, the details thereof including the other steps taken by the Government to provide quality education to the poor children?

MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI M.M. PALLAM RAJU)

(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 581 TO BE ANSWERED ON 8TH MAY, 2013 ASKED BY SHRI R. THAMARAISELVAN AND SHRI MODUGULA VENUGOPALA REDDY REGARDING ADMISSION OF EWS CHILDREN IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS

(a)&(b): Section 12(1)(c) of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 provides that unaided private schools shall admit in class – I (or pre- primary class, as the case may be) to the extent of at least 25% of the strength of the class, children belonging to weaker sections and disadvantaged groups. 13 States have admitted children under this provision in 2012-13.

(c): Section 12(2) of the RTE Act, 2009 provides for the reimbursement of per child expenditure so incurred by the school, as per the norms notified by the concerned State/UT. The reimbursements are done at the State/district level after the verification of the enrolment of children from disadvantaged groups and weaker sections, as per the State/UT’s prescribed procedure. Since this exercise is done at a decentralized level by States/UTs, no record of these reimbursements is maintained centrally.

(d): Efforts to create awareness on RTE provisions have been undertaken by all the States/ UTs and include inter alia, forming and training of School Management Committees.

(e): For improving the quality of education, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) supports States/ UTs for provides opening new schools as per neighbourhood norms, additional teachers as per the pupil teacher ratio (PTR), free text books, teaching learning materials, teacher training, specific programme for early grades reading, writing & mathematics and learning assessments.