Two years since Right to Education Act came into effect its implementation in the city leaves much to be desired. The biggest challenge to RTE,activists and officials claim,is that the Act lacks teeth to punish violators. The RTE Act has only one provision against the RTE violators,schools not reserving 25 percent seats to Economically Weaker sections will be de-recognised. This provision is hardly ever taken up because de-recognition should be our last resort. Only if the school is doing something gravely wrong hampering education or well being of students should it be de-recognised. Other strict punishment should be there, said Nilesh Borate,education activist. But currently for every violation of the Act,after the enquiry,if the school fails to follow orders,de-recognition is the only proceeding against them. The decision is neither favoured by parents nor authorities. Nobody wants children to suffer. Schools actually make use of this attitude and hardly ever follow the Zilla Parishad orders, added Borate. Since the start of this year,there have been complaints of RTE Act violation against almost all prominent schools. ZP has conducted an enquiry in ST Marys school,Bishop's school,SV Union school,Mt Carmel School and other schools for alleged RTE Act violation. St Marys and Bishops School moved Bombay High Court. The court ordered the schools to keep 25 percent seats vacant in both cases till the matter is resolved in the HC. As far as other schools are concerned,the ZP has asked them to follow the 25 percent reservation criteria for economically backward students but none of the schools complied with it citing various reasons. ZP has been conducting enquiries the past 6 months. The enquiries have found the schools guilty. There is a lot of paperwork but no concrete action against any school. What is the use of all this paperwork for poor students? They have still not got admission or their money given as fee from the schools. Hence the entire grievance redressal mechanism is not useful as far as students and parents are concerned, said R Aiyer,another educational activist. There is no mechanism for counter-action against the schools or punishment like removal of principal,or suspension of the board of governors/directors of the school. What is the point of a ZP if the schools do not even turn up for hearing? There is no hold over them and the schools do as they please. There can be some outcome in two schools,St Marys and Bishops because they have moved the High Court which will give a verdict. But in all those schools whihc have violated RTE Act and have yet not approached the HC,the students fate is in a limbo as schools continue working as it is, said Aiyer. Officials and activists alike demand better powers under the RTE Act to punish violators. There should be provisions of suspension of principals and school management,if found guilty. Another deterrent will be the power to impose heavy fines if RTE is violated. Only timely action can make schools realise that the RTE Act has to be followed and will truly help poor students get decent education, said a senior ZP official who did not wish to be named.
