CHENNAI: The state School Education Department has given its approval to release Rs 875 crore towards pending reimbursements to private schools for admissions made under the Right to Education (RTE) Act for the academic years 2023-24 and 2024-25. The officials said the amount is expected to be reach the schools within a week.
Under the RTE Act, private schools must reserve 25% of seats at the entry level (LKG or Class 1) for children from economically weaker sections. The state reimburses the fees for these students using funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, with students entitled to get free education until class 8.
The latest sanction was made through two separate government orders. According to the order for 2024-25, a total of Rs 450.85 crore will be released to 7,609 private schools, where 4,45,961 students are currently studying in LKG to Class 8 under the RTE quota.
Of this, Rs 80.7 crore is earmarked for LKG and UKG students, while Rs 370.12 crore covers reimbursement for classes 1 to 8.
The order also said the release follows field inspections conducted across districts after the director of Private Schools ordered verification in September 2024.
Based on the number of institutions in each district, teams comprising government high and higher secondary school headmasters, block education officers, Block Resource Teacher Educators (BRTEs), and support staff were formed to conduct the checks.
Another order approved Rs 424.98 crore in reimbursements for 2023-24, to be distributed to 7,594 private schools for students studying under RTE in classes LKG to 8. This includes Rs 77.69 crore for kindergarten classes alone.
The approval comes after the centre released its share of funds totalling Rs 538 crore.
The story is reported by Subashini Vijayakumar of The New Indian Express
