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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Netas burden schools as they cope with RTE by Anahita Mukherji

Netas burden schools as they cope with RTE by Anahita Mukherji

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published Published on Feb 14, 2011   modified Modified on Feb 14, 2011
The ongoing pre-school admissions have forced many a city school into a tight corner. Institutions are being driven to do a tightrope walk between the demands of the Right to Education (RTE) Act and the unending pressure from political parties to admit students of their choice.

The RTE aims at creating a level playing field for all children by making it mandatory for schools to admit a percentage of underprivileged children and, among other things, shelve admission interviews. But, schools say, the idea is being defeated as much by political browbeating as by some schools' apprehension in implementing the act. Politicians, however, insist that they are not arm-twisting institutions, just "requesting" them for help.

"We have received letters from a gamut of political parties, ranging from the MNS and Shiv Sena to the Congress and Republican Party of India(RPI)," said a school principal. "The letters follow a standard format, asking us to give admissions to the children of their party workers."

The principal of a South Mumbai school recalled the time a political worker threatened to transfer the admissions assistant if she did not grant admissions to a certain child. Of course, the worker had no way of transferring a staffer of a private school.

Another school principal spoke of how politicians and party workers barge into her office and demand admissions. "I ask them for their identity cards, and if they have none, I send them packing," she added.

So why don't schools complain to the state education department over the malaise? "We get 'requests' from the education department as well," said another school principal.

Schools say they have also received letters from officials in Mantralaya and the BMC seeking admissions for students of their choice. "We once turned down a request for admissions from the BMC, which delayed trimming a tree that was threatening to fall on our school," said the principal of a well-known city school.

Politicians admit sending letters to schools during admission time, but insist that this does not amount to pressure. "Politicians are representatives of the people and when parents are unable to get admissions for their sons and daughters at schools near their homes, they come to us for help. We have a good rapport with several school managements and so we approach them for admissions. I have never pressured any school for admissions," said Nitin Sardesai of the MNS.

"I can't deny the fact that politicians do send letters to schools during admissions. This is because we are public representatives and people seek our help in times of need. But there are two sides to the coin. While schools complain that politicians approach them during admissions, school and college managements approach politicians every time they need any help," said Anant Gadgil of the Congress.

"When it comes to private schools, they are under no compulsion to act on the letters they receive from MPs and MLAs," said Avinash Mahatekar of the RPI.

Despite repeated attempts, TOI was unable to contact Sanjay Raut of the Shiv Sena.

When questioned on pressure from the education department, Sunil Chauhan, Mumbai's deputy director of education, said that schools often violated rules at the time of admissions and did not admit students they should be admitting. As for pressure from politicians and education officials, he said there was no need for schools to succumb to it. "Schools should admit students as per the law," he added.

The Times of India, 15 February, 2011, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Netas-burden-schools-as-they-cope-with-RTE/articleshow/7497989.cms


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