With pending bills, pvt schools feel it doesn’t pay to admit EWS students

As the admission process for the next academic session in private schools is slated to begin next month, the contentious issue of payment of the expenses for the provision of free education for economically weaker section (EWS) students has raised its head again.

While the bills for the 2011-12 academic session are still pending with the education department, private schools express their helplessness to bear the costs of these children next year as well unless a decision is reached on the issue of pending payments.

With no definite estimate of per-child-expenditure being conveyed to the schools by the authorities, the bills were prepared by them based on the individual expenditure incurred by them. The bills submitted by the schools in April this year vary from Rs 50,000 to Rs 20,00,000.

A letter sent by the Director of Public Instructions to the District Education Officer last month mentions the bills being returned for the reimbursement of tuition fee/dues of EWS students admitted under the RTE Act. It further states that the 'decision taken by the administration will be conveyed as and when'.

However, DEO Ram Kumar said he had not received any intimation in this regard.

School managements say they had submitted the bills to the DEO's office and after the reimbursements being 'under process' all this while, the returning of the bills means the end of the road for them. They, at the same time, express their reluctance to bear the expenditure in the next session.

"The deciding authorities must have the basics cleared before going ahead with the payments. It is not possible for us to induct children without sufficient funds. Last year, we took their word and went ahead with the admissions in good faith. Now we are looking at admissions for the next session without having reached any decision yet," said H S Mamik, the president of the Independent Schools' Association.

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