Thoothukudi: The 25 per cent reservation ensured by the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act in non-minority private schools in Thoothukudi district received poor response from parents of students belonging to the socially weaker group and economically weaker sections.
According to Thoothukudi district collector M Ravikumar, only 625 applications, were received till June 8 for the 1,436 seats reserved for LKG classes in 78 schools in the district. Among the 625 applications for LKG, only 166 students were given admission in the district under the act - 2.89 percent against the total number of 5,742 seats available in the district.
Though officials view this as the result of unwillingness of parents to use the 25 percent reservation accorded by the Right to Education Act, activists blame it on government’s lethargy to ensure that the scheme reaches out to parents of eligible students.
P Uchimahali, state president of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI), points out, 'Not even a single private school is punished or even warned by an official notice for not properly implementing the 25 per cent reservation in their schools since the Act was passed in April 2009.' He also demanded the inclusion of all minority institutions so as to make the Act more meaningful.
There are reports that several schools often fill the 25 per cent reservation seats with children of self-employed parents, mentioning their occupation as labourer in the application forms for admission. The Thoothukudi district collector said that he had not received any such complaints and assured action if he did.
