RTE: Activists point to flaws in govt’s info on schools

CHENNAI: The list of all matriculation schools in the state under the ambit of the RTE Act, brought out by the Directorate of Matriculation Schools on Monday, remains a bit vague, claim activists.
The list, which has the number of entry-level seats in each school and the number of seats available under the 25% reservation, covers more than 3,500 schools in all the 32 districts.While this might satisfy anyone looking for information on the different schools in the state, it does not offer a parent much except for the address of the school and the number of seats available.
CHANGEindia director A Narayanan, who had earlier filed a petition saying how most private schools in the state have not complied with the regulations, said the list should have included guidelines on how to apply and where to apply. “A common online platform would make applying easier and interactive,” he said.
There is no specific list for CBSE schools considering that Tamil Nadu has more than 500 schools affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education. CBSE regional officer (Tamil Nadu) K Srinivasan said the head office had a complete list but was not planning to get a list out regionally. “Instructions have been sent out to all the schools in the state and they are following the applications norms as per the regulation.”
Another drawback is that schools are not listed area wise for specific districts, forcing parents to sift through more than 300 schools to identify one in their locality. Narayanan also pointed out that members of the public were not made aware of the list. “They have not carried out publicity campaigns. Announcements on TV and radio, newspaper advertisements and pamphlets might help create awareness about the number of schools and seats under the RTE ambit,” he said.
With admissions set to continue till June 15, seats reserved under the 25% category will be kept vacant as schools cannot admit students under the general category as per the Madras high court order.