Bhubaneswar: Odisha Parents’ Federation (OPF), which was staging an agitation over the alleged violation of Right to Education (RTE) Act by some private schools, Tuesday announced to suspend of the stir for two days after getting assurance from Schools and Mass Education (S&ME) Minister Nityananda Gond about action in this regard. According to sources, the S&ME minister assured the OPF delegation of taking appropriate action after conducting a meeting with department officials soon. The parents’ body Tuesday sat on a hunger strike in front of the office of the Director of elementary Education demanding stringent action against the Director and Block Education Officer (BEO), Bhubaneswar over violation of the provision of 25 per cent admission quota for economically weaker section (EWS) students as mentioned under RTE Act by some private schools in the state. They were also demanding an extension of RTE Act from Class IX to XII in line with Delhi, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh; provision of books, uniforms, shoes by the respective schools and filling of the vacant seats from Class II to VIII through ‘RTE Paradarshi portal’.
Earlier, in a letter to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, OPF president Basudev Bhatta said, “We have given sufficient time to work for the parents but the government has failed to protect the rights of parents demanding implementation of RTE in Odisha. We have seen the ignorance. Now, we feel the Director of Elementary Education is the key person behind all the mess which has resulted in deprivation of EWS students from taking admissions to private schools.” The federation alleged violation of RTE Act by Director of Elementary Education and the BEO, Bhubaneswar regarding admissions to 120 seats in Class I of four private schools as per selection via ‘Paradarshi portal’. ”As per information in Paradarshi portal, parents have applied for admissions and the Director of Elementary Education has allotted seats in different private schools in Odisha. In the first phase, the director allotted 120 more students in four private schools in Bhubaneswar.
However, after allotment, these four schools denied admission to our students in Class I. We have requested the director several times to take action but to no avail,” Bhatta mentioned in the letter.
ARINDAM GANGULY, OP