'Poor' schools get govt thumbs
HYDERABAD: The state government seems to be acting against the spirit of the Right to Education (RTE) Act. While keeping schools catering to poor students waiting for recognition, the education department is rolling out red carpet to those flush with funds even if they do not meet the requirements of the Act.
If 'poor' schools are being denied recognition for not having facilities such as a playground, rules are thrown to the winds in case of cash-rich managements.
Such bias in granting recognition is galore in the city, said representatives of charitable institutions. According to managements, hundreds of schools are waiting for government recognition even after fulfilling most of the requirements. "The state government has promised to clear the recognition process within a month from the date of submitting applications by schools, but it has taken us over six months to even get an acknowledgement slip from the authorities. The schools are being forced to run from pillar to post to get recognition," lamented Samuel Paul, secretary, Alpha School, being run for street children, which was not given recognition for want of a playground. The school, set up in 1980, currently has a strength of 180 students.
Most of these schools were set up in the city many years ago but decided to apply for recognition now as they were encouraged to do so as part of the government's move to implement the Right to Education Act. Some of these schools include K C Hope School, Habsiguda, which has been providing education to slum children for the past five years, and Saint Anthony School, Chilkalguda, set up in 1980 for orphans. "The students will have nowhere to go if recognition is denied and this goes against the very spirit of the Act," said an official of K C Hope School. The school even provides midday meals and books to students from slum areas in Habsiguda. Also caught in the red tape are three charitable schools in Rahmatnagar.
On the other hand, among those schools which got recognition are some of the big brands like Rosebud School and Gowtham Public School both of which have no play ground while the former runs primary classes on the first floor. Similarly, Saints School, which does not have lavatories (as per district education officer's records) has got government recognition. Sources said there are also schools like Princeton Grammar School which is hamstrung by shortage of teachers and Rays Public School, which does not have a principal, that have got the state government's stamp of approval without any hassles.
According to the district education officers in the city and Ranga Reddy, most of the application processes pending with them are of those schools which do not have enough facilities. They also denied that any favouritism is being shown towards certain corporate schools.
Meanwhile, some of the school managements which were denied recognition have even approached court demanding that the government speed up the recognition process or give them recognition by default (deemed recognition).
If 'poor' schools are being denied recognition for not having facilities such as a playground, rules are thrown to the winds in case of cash-rich managements.
Such bias in granting recognition is galore in the city, said representatives of charitable institutions. According to managements, hundreds of schools are waiting for government recognition even after fulfilling most of the requirements. "The state government has promised to clear the recognition process within a month from the date of submitting applications by schools, but it has taken us over six months to even get an acknowledgement slip from the authorities. The schools are being forced to run from pillar to post to get recognition," lamented Samuel Paul, secretary, Alpha School, being run for street children, which was not given recognition for want of a playground. The school, set up in 1980, currently has a strength of 180 students.
Most of these schools were set up in the city many years ago but decided to apply for recognition now as they were encouraged to do so as part of the government's move to implement the Right to Education Act. Some of these schools include K C Hope School, Habsiguda, which has been providing education to slum children for the past five years, and Saint Anthony School, Chilkalguda, set up in 1980 for orphans. "The students will have nowhere to go if recognition is denied and this goes against the very spirit of the Act," said an official of K C Hope School. The school even provides midday meals and books to students from slum areas in Habsiguda. Also caught in the red tape are three charitable schools in Rahmatnagar.
On the other hand, among those schools which got recognition are some of the big brands like Rosebud School and Gowtham Public School both of which have no play ground while the former runs primary classes on the first floor. Similarly, Saints School, which does not have lavatories (as per district education officer's records) has got government recognition. Sources said there are also schools like Princeton Grammar School which is hamstrung by shortage of teachers and Rays Public School, which does not have a principal, that have got the state government's stamp of approval without any hassles.
According to the district education officers in the city and Ranga Reddy, most of the application processes pending with them are of those schools which do not have enough facilities. They also denied that any favouritism is being shown towards certain corporate schools.
Meanwhile, some of the school managements which were denied recognition have even approached court demanding that the government speed up the recognition process or give them recognition by default (deemed recognition).
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