East mayor orders adherence to RTE

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/310696/east-mayor-orders-adherence-rte.html

New Dehi, Feb 7, 2013, DHNS :

Admission in MCD schools shouldn’t be denied for lack of documents

The East Delhi Municipal Corporation mayor has directed all the schools of the civic body to admit students under the Right to Education Act even if their parents do not submit the required documents. The schools should also put up boards making this clear. 

Pardarshita, an NGO working in the field of education, had submitted a representation to the mayor about the problems faced by parents who are unable to submit residence proof and birth certificates of their children, and are denied admission.

Rajeev Kumar of Pardarshita said the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 says if parents do not have birth certificate or residence proof at the time of admission, the child will not be denied admission. 

“Those parents, who do not have any documents will submit self-declaration about the date of birth of the child on plain paper without any requirement for an affidavit or stamp paper,” said Kumar.

He said apart from asking for several documents from parents, principals of most schools force parents to submit date of birth of child on stamp paper worth Rs 50. “This has resulted in thousands of children being deprived of schooling every year,” he said, reminding that MCD schools get students from the financially weaker section.

The EDMC mayor has now sent a letter to corporation officials, telling them about the demand from some schools for such documents, and the denial of admission to children. “This is in clear violation of RTE act and such practices cannot be allowed and will not be tolerated,” said the letter.

The letter also said a board should be displayed outside each MCD school, stating that children will get admission even if the parents don’t have any documents. “By displaying such board outside the schools thousands of children would benefit and could get education without facing any difficulty, which is their right now,” it said.

School principals and education directors have been directed to ensure that the boards are displayed. East Delhi has around 400 primary schools. MCD nursery admissions begin on April 1.