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Resource centre on India's rural distress
 
 

RTE promotes parity in education, but not all private schools are convinced
-The Times of India 
 
Rashmi Bansal, a student of Activity High School scored 80% in her ICSE examinations in 2007. What differentiated Rashmi's performance from others was that she achieved it without the aid of tuitions. Coming from a family of modest means that was unable to lend much financial support, it was her school that honed her skills and paved the way for her success. 

"We have always gone the extra mile to ensure that there exists no disparity among students, especially regarding their financial conditions," says Perin Bagli, principal of Activity High School at Pedder Road. Besides affluent children on their rolls, this school also takes in students from less privileged backgrounds. 

"We try to ensure their participation in extra-curricular activities, provide them with textbooks and initiate many more steps for the benefit of these children. Sometimes, we have incurred costs up to Rs 6 lakh in providing these facilities," she says. 

When it came into effect in April 2010, the Right to Education Act enshrined, for the first time, a constitutional right to schooling, promising that every child from six to 14 would be entitled to mandatory education. For a nation that had never properly financed education for the masses, this law was a major milestone. Yet, most principals of Mumbai's schools refused to comment on the 25% reservation for the economically backward classes according to the RTE Act. 

Many private and unaided schools across the country have challenged the RTE Act in the Supreme Court. It is reserved for judgement. While some principals of private school said that the reservation plan was not well-thought-out by the government as schools would have to bear the financial burden, others said they were already admitting students from lessprivileged backgrounds. 

The principal of a wellknown suburban school says, "The insufficient funds provided by the government would put the school finances at a complete deficit." 

Many school principals said that they were already enrolling students from less affluent backgrounds, and believed in providing equal opportunities to all their children irrespective of their economic backgrounds. 

In its true essence, the law implies that a child's economic background should not deprive him or her of realising his or her true potential and that schools should ensure that no student is discriminated against but rather be empowered to reach greater heights. 

Tanya Valecha, principal of Rustomjee Cambridge International School, Dahisar, believes in maintaining 'a simple and basic Code of Conduct' to ensure uniformity among children. "We do not allow branded watches or expensive stationery," she says. 

Some schools have been encouraging intermingling of students from all strata of society as it "creates greater sensitivity among the better-off students and also makes them appreciate the many luxuries they have", as Nicole Britto, viceprincipal of St Joseph's High School, Wadala, puts it. 

Students of Gundecha Education Academy, for instance, have adopted Matrubhumi, a school for underprivileged children in Thakur Village, and teach students of Matrubhumi on a regular basis. 

The school's vice-principal Sonu Arora believes this initiative is a way to bridge the economic disparity among students hailing from different financial backgrounds. She adds: "All students at Gundecha are welcome, irrespective of their economic background, to avail of a quality education." 

Bagli says: "Selfless gestures are the need of the hour and are essential to promote greater participation of students in private schools." 

Supporters of the Act say that any help to students should be given without making a big noise about it because it would only serve the purpose of drawing unwanted attention to the child's background. If the Right to Education Act-as envisioned by the government is successfully implemented- it will ensure 100% literacy, which in turn will ensure the overall economic development of India.