Less than 5% schools in Haryana agreed to implement CHEERAG scheme
GURUGRAM: Multiple deadlines and a rechristened name failed to get schools on board to implement the government’s amnesty scheme that provides free education to students from economically weaker sections (EWS) in classes 2 to 12.
Less than 5%, or only 381, private schools across the state consented to adopting the CM Haryana Equal Education Relief, Assistance, and Grant (CHEERAG) scheme – a remodeled version of Rule 134A of the Haryana Education Rules – data by the education department showed.There are around 8,000 private schools in the state.
In Gurugram, out of around 400 private schools, only three schools declared their seats at the government portal and agreed to provide free education to students of EWS families under CHEERAG scheme.
Officials conceded on Wednesday that the response was lukewarm.
“Not many schools came forward as this was a voluntary scheme based on the goodwill of the schools. A total of 24,987 seats (under CHEERAG) have been declared by around 381 schools… Admissions under this scheme are in addition to the RTE Act,” said an official of the senior elementary education department.
Under Rule 134A, schools had to reserve 10% of the seats in all classes for meritorious students from EWS families. In March this year, the state government issued a notification, saying that it will implement the Right to Education (RTE) Act – a central law that mandates 25% reservation for students of EWS families into entry-level classes (such as Class 1, kindergarten)
After the announcement, the government faced stiff opposition from parents and demanded that Rule 134A be gradually phased out. The government acceded and issued another directive that said Rule 134A will continue for eight more years, except it will be voluntary and its scope will be reduced every year.
TOI had reported in May – after the first deadline to voluntarily register for the scheme elapsed in April — that less than 5% of the schools in the state were unwilling to continue with the remodeled version of Rule 134A. The deadline was extended three times, with the final call in mid-June. Admissions under CHEERAG will begin on July 21.
On Wednesday, parents reiterated that this was bound to happen. “Expecting schools that have always tried to evade social responsibility is sadly funny,” said Ashok Agarwal, national president of the All India Parents Association (AIPA). Schools said there were practical challenges to implementing such a scheme. “Nobody has an issue with the RTE Act and schools are complying with that. Rule 134A was riven with issues,” said Kulbhushan Sharma, president of the National Independent Schools Alliance (NISA).
Source: Times of India