Bihar State Child Rights Protection Commission office. Telegraph picture

Patna, Aug. 19: The human resource development department today assured Bihar State Child Rights Protection Commission that schools would be sent the money required for fees and other expenses of underprivileged children who got admissions under the Right to Education Act (RTE) this year.

The money will reach schools in around 20 days.

The commission had a review meeting with the joint director of human resource development department, R.S. Singh (who also looks after RTE), at its office on Friday.

The chairperson of the commission, Nisha Jha, told The Telegraph: “We have been assured that the schools across the state which allowed admissions to underprivileged children on 25 per cent seats (under RTE) would receive Rs 4800 per student as fees for a year. This would be done in 20 days. Also the amount for dress and study material would be sent. Those parents who have already bought these things would have to show the receipt to get the reimbursements.”

Under the RTE Act, all private schools are required to enroll children from weaker sections and disadvantaged communities to the extent of 25 per cent of their seats, by simple random selection. No seats in this quota can be left vacant.

Altogether 3,228 schools in the state and 350 in Patna district have allowed admissions to underprivileged children under RTE.

Jha said: “We have made a suggestion to the department to direct the schools to have two parents (applicants) at the time of random selection.”

Jha said the schools would now have to include all their norms in the school prospectus and diary and follow them throughout the year. They are not supposed to make amendments to the norms at any time in the year.

Parents are supposed to know each and every thing in detail, including fee structure and other costs, before getting their child admitted in schools.

Jha added: “This would ensure transparency and parents would get rid of a lot of problems which they have to face throughout the year. The commission has witnessed many such cases which show that the norms mentioned in the diary keep changing throughout the year.”

Those schools which have not taken admissions till date under the 25 per cent quota will have to give an explanation to the commission, said Jha. Seventeen minority schools in Patna district are not included in this category since they have filed petitions against the act in the court.

The commission also had an internal meeting in the evening. The members discussed how to keep a check on schools so that no child or parent has to face any difficulty or unreasonable demands from schools.

For this, a toll-free number would be provided to all so that anyone can make complaints. Drop boxes would be set up at divisional and district headquarters in August. Later, the commission would reach out to panchayat level too for the same. The members also discussed their problems at the commission.