New RTE rule gives priority to govt schools

Bengaluru: The Cabinet on Wednesday, December 5 approved an amendment to the Right to Education (RTE) rules, according to which, the state government henceforth will not be paying for children admitted to unaided private schools under the RTE quota, in case a government school is located in their neighbourhood.

Addressing presspersons after attending Cabinet meeting Law Minister Krishna Byre Gowda said that In the past years admissions under the RTE quota have been allowed in private schools even when there was a government school in the neighbourhood. Henceforth RTE admissions will be permitted in private schools only if there are no government schools nearby.

Earlier, the government used to pay private schools Rs 16,000 for every child admitted to Class 1 and Rs 8,000 for kindergarten under the RTE quota. Since 2012, over four lakh children were admitted in private schools under the RTE. 

The Associated Management of English Medium Schools in Karnataka (KAMS) happily welcomed the amendment to the RTE rule the approved at the Cabinet.