With an aim to “revolutionise” the educational system, the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday passed three bills to tighten control over private schools, eliminating the screening process for nursery admission
With an aim to “revolutionise” the educational system, the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday passed three bills to tighten control over private schools, eliminating the screening process for nursery admissions and scrapping the “no detention policy” till Class 8.
Asserting that reforms in the educational system is his government’s priority, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the legislations will help reduce the fees charged by the private schools.
The Delhi School Education (Amendment) Bill (DSEAA) and the Delhi School (Verification of Accounts and Refund of Excess Fee) Bill stipulate a hefty fine and imprisonment for violators.
Two BJP MLAs staged a walkout before the bills were passed. The AAP had issued a whip to all its MLAs to vote in favour of these bills. As per the DSEAA, offenders can be levied penalty of different grades for taking interviews at the entry levels, including the nursery admission and charging capitation fees. Under this amendment, offenders will be liable for a fine which may extend up to Rs 5 lakh for the first contravention and Rs10 lakh for each subsequent contravention.
The Delhi Schools Verification of Accounts and Refund of Excess Fee Bill has a host of provisions aimed at ensuring that private schools show greater accountability in fees accepted and money spent. Erring schools shall be punishable with fine which may extend to 10 times the capitation fee charged or Rs 5 lakh whichever is more. Repeat offenders may also be imprisoned for terms ranging from three to five years. The bill also proposes that the salary and allowances payable to, and terms and conditions of employees of recognised private schools, shall be at par with those in government schools. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Delhi Amendment) Bill does away with the no-detention policy till Class 8 by amending relevant sections which the government argues, were “prohibiting” quality education in schools.
The Delhi government will now send the bills to the Centre for its approval. Mr Kejriwal rejected the Opposition’s claim that the education bills will benefit private schools, saying under existing policy, nobody can run a school honestly. “These bills will remove shortcomings of existing education policy. After these new legislations, private schools can be run honestly. The government will form a committee which will get accounts of private schools audited through chartered accountants,” he said.
Mr Kejriwal said that management of schools and teachers will have to change their attitude towards education and fraudulent practices in the name of admission will not be tolerated at all. “In the next four years, government will impart good education in government schools besides ensuring good teachers. On paper, salaries of private school teachers are at par with those in government schools, but the reality is different. I have got to know that private school teachers only get Rs 4,000 to Rs 8,000, but the new legislations will ensure that these teachers get at least Rs 12,000,” he said.
Mr Kejriwal said that the government will introduce new education system under which students from poor and rich families can study together. “I have got to know that some school management prepares bogus bills to evade government action. But, one of the education bills now enables government to audit accounts of private schools. If they (schools) do something wrong, we will get to know about it,” he said.
The government will also ensure that teachers of private schools get their salaries as per the Sixth and Seventh Pay Commission, he said.
