‘Release RTE money to save budget schools’

Nagpur: Private unaided schools that admit RTE (Right to Education) quota students say the pending reimbursement amount has piled up to a very high level and must be paid immediately to save budget schools from financial peril.
Various school associations that are spearheading the campaign to ensure the reimbursements come on time, and in full, say the government is in fact harming children’s academic future by delaying the payment.
Sanjay Tayde-Patil, founder-president of Maharashtra English School Trustees Association (MESTA), said, “There are small budget schools which rely on RTE reimbursements to survive. With dues of many schools pending, either partial or full, these may shut down and that will leave many students stranded. Schools are not asking for something out of the blue. It was the government which told us to admit students for free and we will reimburse you.”
Sachin Kalbande, founder-president of RTE Foundation, said, “The problem lies with the state government’s method of handling the issue. Through Right To Information (RTI), I have accessed details that central government is transferring its share of funds and that too at a much higher rate. Money is coming in separately for uniforms and books under RTE, but in Maharashtra we are not getting that at all.”
While the schools’ animosity with the state over pending RTE funds is not new, it reached its peak earlier this year due to a decision by the state government. TOI had reported how RTE reimbursement has been slashed by 50% this year due to what authorities cited as “Covid-induced financial strain.” At that time, school education minister Varsha Gaikwad had told TOI that she would discuss the matter with the finance department and see if anything could be done.
Till date, no good news for schools. Tayde-Patil said, “Schools are operating as a social service. You visit our budget schools in rural areas and see how they are helping kids from poor economic background get education. Even in urban areas, there are slum pockets where such budget schools operate with fees being negligible for the non-RTE students. So, the least we can expect is the state government to do its part.”