The State Cabinet’s nod to amend the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act quota rules has come as a blow to families from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

Many parents have decided to protest the Cabinet’s decision which stated that children from weaker sections and disadvantaged communities can get admission in private schools under the RTE quota only if there are no government schools in their neighbourhood.

A majority of neighbourhoods already have a government school. In other words, the probability of getting children admitted into private schools is almost nil.

The Department of Primary and Secondary Education is planning to amend three clauses under the Karnataka Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2012.

However, experts point out that amending the State rules alone is not adequate as the RTE Act mandates that 25% of the seats in private schools are reserved from children from weaker sections and disadvantaged communities.

The Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, which is supposed to be the monitoring body for all aspects concerning the RTE Act, was reportedly not consulted.

Shruthi R., who is hoping her son gets a seat under the RTE quota in a private school for 2019-2020, said: “I live in the Kamakshipalya ward and there is a government school in the ward. But I do not want to send my child there. The government is denying our right to free English-medium education.”

Many parent support groups have decided to challenge this move legally. B.N. Yogananda, general secretary of RTE Students and Parents’ Association, said that they had written to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights asking of legal possibilities to challenge this move.

“The State government is doing this to appease the private management lobby. This is against the interest of lakhs of parents and children,” he said.

‘Drastic step’

Nagasimha G. Rao, convener of the RTE task force, said that the State government had taken up a drastic step without consulting different stakeholders.

“The government is saying they will follow the Kerala model, but the quality of education imparted in government schools here cannot be compared to that of Kerala’s,” he said.

For admissions under the RTE quota, a ‘neighbourhood’ is considered as a revenue village in rural areas, a ward within city corporation limits, and the entire jurisdiction for urban local bodies.