No monitoring of Private Schools by State Government in Odisha

No monitoring of Private Schools by State Government  in Odisha – A Disastrous situation for the Children

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act which is called as Right to Education Act, 2009 mandated to provide free and compulsory education to all the children of the age of six to fourteen years.   The Govt. schools, Private schools like aided schools  receiving aid or grants  to meet whole or part of the expenses from the Government and unaided schools not receiving any kind of aid or grant to meet the expenses from Govt. are duty-bound to comply the RTE Act and meet RTE Norm. As per section 18 of the RTE Act, Each aided and unaided Private schools are required to obtain a certificate of recognition from the Government subject to fulfilling the norms and standards specified in the schedule. 

On 19.1.2016, RTI Application was submitted to the PIO, office of Director, Elementary Education, Odisha seeking  the following information  about private Schools  located in Bhubaneswar

a. Copy of the Guideline/ circular, if any issued by the Govt. for monitoring of the Private schools in Odisha

b. List of the English-medium Private Schools   located in Bhubaneswar which have obtained recognition from the State Govt. and not obtained recognition from state Govt. 

c. Name of the authority entrusted to monitor the private schools under Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation.

d. Copy of the reports of the monitoring of Private Schools submitted by the Monitoring authority  from 2011 to 2015.

e. Name of the authority entrusted to monitor KIIT School and copy of enquiry report, if  any available with that authority.

The information provided by the PIO on 10.3.16 is as follows.

1.Though  the implementation of RTE Act started  from 2009, the State Government issued Office Order No. 20559  on dt. 26.12.14 (after five years of enactment of the Act)    fixing conditionalities  i.e, fulfilling requirement for  RTE Norm for Privately managed Elementary Schools  to obtain N.O.C. ( No Objection Certificate) from Govt. The procedure  to be followed for obtaining N.O.C.  is as follows.

a.      All applications received upto date 1.11.14 will be taken into consideration for issue of N.O.C.

b.      Conditional N.O.C. will be issued to the privately managed Elementary Schools with the condition that  they will fulfil all the requirements  as per RTE Act by 31.10.15.

c.       Applications received will be sent “on-line” to the concerned BEOs (Block Education Officers)  for field verification. Based on the field report, NOC  is to be considered.

d.      The BEOs after getting the applications  “on-line”  will conduct  field enquiry  and while submitting report, specifically give comments  on the non-negotiable  items.

The BEO will submit the verification report “ on-line” with the counter signature  of the concerned  District Project  Coordinator (DPC)  within 15 days of receipt of the applications from the Directorate of Elementary Education, Odisha.

2. Total number of 91 Private Schools   functioning within jurisdiction of BMC ( Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation) have   applied  for NOC for 2015-16. Total No. of 38  private schools   functioning in Bhubaeswar Block  have  applied  for NOC for 2015-16.

3. The Proposal of total no. of 46 Private Schools functioning within the jurisdiction of Bhubaneswar Block were sent to DPC,SSA for issue of NOC ( 2014-15)  on 25.1.15.

4. The proposal of total no. of 93 Private Schools   within BMC area  was sent to DPC in January and February 2015 for issue of NOC for 2014-15.  

5.  The proposal of total no. of 42 Private Schools   within BMC area was sent to DPC for issue of NOC for 2015-16.

6. After careful consideration of the Report of BEO and DPC, SSA-RTE,  Conditional No Objection was granted  upto 31.10.2015  to only  SEVEN Private Schools ( ST.Xavier International School, Jujhagada, ST.Xavier International School, Janpath, satya Nagar, ST.Xavier International School, ear Alishan Housing Project, ST.Xavier International School, Palasuni, Swami Vivekanand Shikha Kendra, Kargil Road, Bhimpur, Kalinga Institute of Social Science (KISS), KIIT Campus, Patia, Sai Binapani Gyana Mandir, Badagada Brit Colony)  on the  following conditions.

a. The school shall be opened for inspection by the Inspecting Officers of School and Mass Education Department.

b. No financial assistance or grant-in-aid shall be claimed by the Institution from the Government at any point of time for meeting salary cost and its component towards teaching and non-teaching staff.

c. The Managing Committee of the school will not shift the present location of the school without prior approval of Director, Elementary Education, Odisha.

d. The Managing Committee shall be constituted in accordance with the section 7 of Orissa Education Act 1969.

e. The Managing Committee shall ensure the continuity of all eligibility criteria for grant of N.O.C. If ay deterioration from present status of the school is detected at any point of time then N.O.C. shall be withdrawn.

f. If at any point of time it is found that information submitted by the schools is not in conformity with the field position, appropriate Administrative as well as legal action against the school authority will be initiated besides withdrawal of NOC. 

7.  Rest of all the Private Schools  have not been granted NOC by the Govt. till yet.  It means functioning of these schools are illegal.

8. Copy of the reports of the monitoring of Private Schools submitted by the Monitoring authority  from 2011 to 2015 is not available  as per response of the PIO.

9. KIIT School has not been monitored  by any Monitoring Authority till yet.

Pradip Pradhan

M-9937843482

Date- 25.3.16