During the current session of the Bihar Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar emphasized strict adherence to the Right to Education (RTE) Act. He clarified that appropriate action would be taken against any private schools violating the law.
Patna: In the ongoing session of the Bihar Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar reiterated the need for strict compliance with the Right to Education (RTE) Act. He made it clear that private schools violating the Act would face appropriate action. Following the CM's announcement, the opposition welcomed the decision and also submitted their complaints in writing.
Opposition's Protest and CM's Response in the Assembly
Opposition MLAs staged a protest in the Assembly, claiming that several private schools in the state were not complying with the RTE Act and were admitting students other than those from the reserved seats for poor and underprivileged children. Amidst the commotion, the Chief Minister responded, "Do whatever you want against me; we will commend you." He urged the opposition MLAs to return to their seats, to which they agreed.
Chief Minister Orders Investigation
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar instructed Education Minister Sunil Kumar to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter. He also directed Dr. S. Siddharth, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Education Department, who was present in the officers' gallery, to investigate. Darbhanga Rural MLA Lalit Kumar Yadav and Dhaka MLA Pawan Jaiswal raised this issue vehemently in the House.
They alleged that several private schools, including DPS Patna and DY Patil International School, were not admitting students to seats reserved for poor and underprivileged children. In response, Education Minister Sunil Kumar stated, "We must acknowledge that RTE enrollments have been lower than expected. District Education Officers in districts where schools haven't admitted students under RTE have been instructed to seek explanations from the respective schools."
Government's Major Decision
The Education Minister further explained that in many cases, the same student was enrolled in both government and private schools, creating a problem. To avoid this, Aadhaar seeding for all students will now be mandatory in all schools. This step by the Bihar government to establish accountability for private schools could bring significant changes to the education sector. The government clarified that strict action would be taken against schools that fail to comply with the Right to Education Act to ensure equal opportunities for children from all backgrounds.
