Khachrod (Madhya Pradesh): President of the State Private School Operators Forum Shailesh Tiwari has raised serious concerns against the state government alleging discrimination and undue bias against private schools. The primary grievance centres around the non-payment of funds under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, creating financial hardships for private schools across the state.

Tiwari highlighted the government’s failure to disburse RTE funds for over two years, despite prompt allocations for other schemes such as the Ladli Behna scheme. This delay in payments has left private schools struggling to meet their operational expenses, causing distress among school operators who have diligently educated children under the RTE mandate.

The payments for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 sessions are pending, citing technical issues as the reason behind the prolonged delay. Additionally, private schools in the state have been facing increasingly stringent recognition criteria, raising concerns about potential closures. The financial burden on private schools has been further exacerbated with the imposition of taxes on commercial buildings, electricity, and water, along with inflated recognition fees and penalties for late payments.

Moreover, Tiwari raised objections to the government’s admission policies under the RTE, alleging a deliberate effort to reduce admissions. The cumbersome regulations, coupled with delayed RTE payments, are creating hurdles for private schools in fulfilling their educational responsibilities.

While acknowledging the need for regulations against profit-oriented malpractices in some schools, Tiwari called for a collaborative approach between the government, parent associations, and private school operators to devise fair and inclusive education policies. He stressed the importance of transparent rules to ensure quality education delivery while addressing the financial challenges faced by private schools in the state.