‘RTE students cannot be expelled from school after Class 8’
Gosavi has ordered that all concerned education officers should issue strict instructions to all the schools that have given admission under RTE 25% and implement the same at their level
While some schools in Pune have started preparing to remove students who have taken admission in Class 1 and studied up to Class 8 under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, the director of primary education, Sharad Gosavi, has issued a circular making it clear that if parents are willing to pay the fees of the respective school and the students want to complete further education in that school, no school can expel RTE students after Class 8.
The circular states: “It has come to light that some schools are forcibly issuing school leaving certificates to students. If students are forcibly given school leaving certificates, it can affect the students’ minds. Therefore, if the RTE students have decided to study in the same school after Class 8 and their parents are ready to pay the fees charged by the school and keep the admission, the said child should not be denied admission to the school or be forced to drop out.”
Gosavi has ordered that all concerned education officers should issue strict instructions to all the schools that have given admission under RTE 25% and implement the same at their level.
Earlier, a letter was sent to parents by City International School, Pune, stating that a school leaving certificate will be issued to RTE students once they complete Class 8. The Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena raised objections to this and protested against the school and complained to the state director of education following which, the state director of primary education, Gosavi, released the circular.
“The City International School had given a letter about removing the students from the school. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena protested against it. Also, a complaint against the school was filed with the director of education. The director has now written a letter to the school. If the school does not follow the law, we will take the law into our own hands,” said Amol Shinde, city president, Maharashtra Navnirman Vidyarthi Sena.
The state school department recently amended the RTE Act according to which, RTE admission will not be given to an unsubsidised English medium school if there is a government or subsidised school within an area of one kilometre. The amendment has led to anger amongst the parents. Under the RTE Act, the government gives the fee reimbursement amount to schools only up to Class 8 due to which, students have to find another school after Class 8.
