Karnataka nod to Rs 700 crore for RTE, schools say yet to get dues

BENGALURU: The State has approved Rs 700 crore for RTE fee reimbursement to private unaided schools for the coming academic year. This comes in the midst of schools claiming that they are yet to receive RTE reimbursement dues from the department. The department gets the amount from the government. The director of primary education said the funds will be released to all districts as and when received from the government to reimburse RTE fees to eligible schools.

Thus far, Rs 1,050 crore earmarked for the years 2019-20 and 2020-21 have already been utilised, the department said, despite claims by schools that RTE reimbursements of several schools are pending.This includes Rs 500 crore earmarked in 2019-20 for 11,432 private institutions as reimbursement of fees of 5,06,694 students, and Rs 550 crore earmarked for 2020-21 for 11,386 private institutions for reimbursement of 4,75,083 students, which is said to be utilised fully.

As per a department circular, the claims of just 4,379 schools have been cleared, of 11,386 institutes, for the current academic year. As many as 2,891 schools are yet to submit claims, while claims of 1,453 schools are undergoing re-verification.As many as 1,230 schools at the block education level, 1,193 at DDPI level, and 240 schools at CPI level have been under verification at their respective levels.

Meanwhile, the state has released Rs 100 crore as additional funds for RTE reimbursement for the month for March 2021, while Rs 76 crore was released from the state office directly to the accounts of 2,466 private institutes till date, and remaining funds will be released shortly to eligible schools as per norms, as per a circular by the education department.

Minister seeks action
The minister for primary and secondary education Suresh Kumar sought action against officials who have been withholding reimburse-ments from schools.

Clear claims
Officials have been asked to clear claims at the earliest, and release RTE reimburse-ment funds to eligible schools, as per instructions of commissioner of public instruction.