Private schools file contempt plea against TN over pending RTE reimbursement
According to the petition filed by the School Voice Association, though the HC, in September 2024, had directed the state government to settle the per-child expenditure payable to private schools within 12 weeks from the date of receipt of the order, the fund is yet to be released.
Under the RTE Act, 25% of seats in all private state board schools are reserved for children from economically weaker sections, with the government paying their fees with the help of Samagra Shiksha (SS) funds. The TN government has not issued the RTE admission notification for 2025-26, citing the non-release of Rs 2,152 crore by the centre for 2024-25. Over 10 lakh students are currently studying in 9,854 private schools under RTE quota. Private school associations estimate the annual reimbursement amounts to be around Rs 550 crore. With no fund for two years and no clarity on RTE admissions or reimbursements, many schools have begun exerting pressure on parents of students studying under RTE to pay full fees.
'My son is in Class 7 at a mid-range private school in the city. Every year, the school asks us to pay Rs 15,000 for books and other expenses. Now, they are demanding an additional Rs 50,000 as full fees for the year, and have warned that they will not issue books for the second term if we fail to pay,' said a 45-year-old parent, working as a two-wheeler mechanic. He urged the government to instruct schools to refrain from pressurising parents and ensure dues are released at the earliest.
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