Rights of education for economically weaker sections

MANY PRIVATE schools in the city have failed to follow the directions issued by the education department, which has made it mandatory for all schools to admit a minimum of 10 per cent students from the economically weaker sections (EWS) of the society. While the department says they have taken note of this, schools are violating the norms unchecked. It is reality that schools have not followed the norms publicly. This provision is dodged in numerous ways; schools claim ignorance of the law, that they can’t find poor students that poor students have to be educated separately even if admitted and so on.

The sections of society living in slum areas generally face numerous problems in getting their children admitted to private schools (as compared to government schools) in the city. This is particularly true of Delhi where, ‘social distance’ between rich and poor status are quite high. The situation, following the implementation of the scheme providing 10 per cent reservation mandatory in private schools to children from the economically weaker sections, does not seem to have made things any easier for them.

Problems range from difficulties in obtaining application forms to facing discriminatory comments at schools. Practically all good private schools have been very clever with the notices, announcing admissions to their institutions. Instead of advertising in Hindi dailies, they have chosen to announce the admissions in English dailies and mostly schools put online form on computers, which most of the people from this section of society don’t subscribe to and no computer at home (distance dream for these people, when parents are illiterate). Mostly all these advertisements in fine print are inconspicuous and easy to miss.

While the government rules allow for financial aid for students from the economically weaker sections, not all schools provide uniforms and books to them. The expense on transport, uniform and stationary for the children is often unaffordable. The school does not charge tuition fee but there are transport charges and high cost of uniform and stationary. Parents with more than one child in the school find it difficult to manage the expenses. Parents who are almost uneducated of such students find themselves hesitant when it comes to approaching teachers in parent-teacher association meetings, or students may bully their children because of his or her background.

Law that provides for reservation of seats for weaker students is laudable, the problem is that it may lead to discrimination after the students are admitted should be addressed properly. Education is the right of every child irrespective of his economic status. We must make sure that they are not denied their right.