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Lack of awareness, more minority schools setback to success rate

It is a wellknownfact that the districtsof Dakshina Kannada and Udupi are known as educational hub.

But, when itcomes to the implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, the response in coastal districts is verypoor. Lack of awareness,lack of interest among minoritiesand hunger forquality education than freeeducation have become a setback for the success rateof the project.

In the State, a total of 7,959 schools are covered under RTE Act in 2012-13. A total of 47,963 students are admitted including 13,289 SC students, 3,650 ST students and 31,024 students belonging to OBC category.

Surprisingly in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, only 739 (out of the total 1,645
seats) and 430 (out of total 1,070 seats) students are admitted under RTE Act respectively (as on 23/07/2012).

Meanwhile, a total of 4,135 students have been admitted in Bijapur, 2,214 in Bidar, 2,766
in Bellary, 2,678 in Bangalore South, 2,000 in Bangalore North and 1,766 students have
been admitted even in smaller district like Chikkodi under RTE Act. Compared to these
districts, the coastal districts are far behind. Officials say that though all applications are accepted, applicants were less in number because of lack of information
about the Act.

Dakshina Kannada District Deputy Director of Public Instructions (DDPI) Moses Jayashekar said that as per the Act, 25 per cent reservation in every school have been reserved
for SCs, STs and OBCs, but there is no special preference for minorities, though the
number of minorities are more in number in Dakshina Kannada.

At the same time, there are many schools belonging to minorities.“More than anything else,people are concerned over quality education than free education,” he said.

According to the Act, every school should reserve 25 per cent of total seats for poor in
first standard and it will continue till tenth standard. Each school should give first preference to nearby applicants. A child can apply to the schoolswithin the ward or school
which is in 2-3 kilo meter distance.

Block Education Officer (BEO) holds the responsibilityof the whole process.
Hoping for better showUnder the RTE Act, an account will be opened in the name of
child and it will be credited with Rs 11,000 every year.

In government aided schools, admission process will be normal and after the calculation of grants, children are included under the Act. Many a times, all students come under RTE in aided schools and in such cases, there is no need for application or fees collection, Moses Jayashekhar said. “The act is very much useful for the educationof poor children. Next year the response will be good,”he hoped.

Udupi DDPI Nagendra Madhyastha also agrees to the point. There was no awareness
among the people about the scheme. Minorities didn’t turn out to the scheme because of
some confusion. “Next year, the numbers would increase if the government and NGOs
work over it,” he opined.

Convenor of a NGO Forum Renny D’Souza said that lack of awareness was a setback to
the project.

“The government circulars reached late. Though the cases pertaining to the violation wereless, there was a kind of uncertainty. People feared about the future of their children,” he said.

Now onwards, the institutions with more than 70 per cent of minority students get minority institution status. The Government will be consideringthe people who have Rs 3.50 lakh or less annual income as poor. “So next year we can
expect better success rate,” he said.