New policy for self-financed English medium schools on the anvil…..Sayli Udas Mankikar
The education department is in the process of forming a policy for self-financed schools, for those interested in proposing new English medium institutions from any of the boards. This will open up opportunities for several proposals that have been stuck in the education department.
These schools, which will be covered under a special law, will not be allowed to apply for any aid or subsidy from the government and will always be self-financed.
Minister of state for education Fauziya Khan spoke about the plan while answering a question on new Marathi schools that will be given permission according to the state school master plan.
For Marathi and other regional language schools, we have formed a master plan through a GPS study. But English schools do not fall under this plan. Proposals for new English schools from all boards ICSE, CBSE and SSC will be entertained through a self-financed school proposal, which is applicable to anyone who wants to start such a school anywhere in the state, she said.
Education minister Rajendra Darda, while speaking to the Hindustan Times, said the bill is expected to be tabled in the Cabinet soon.
The Right to Education Act (RTE), Darda explained puts an embargo on the area to be maintained between two schools- 1km between two primary schools, 3km between secondary and 5km between high schools. Also, non-aided English schools, later turn up and demand for aid, which is one of the main reasons for the refusal of new proposals, he added.
We are still finalising the nuances of this proposal but both the Fee Regulation Bill and RTE will be applicable to them, he said.
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