UT decides reimbursement amount for three years

Naina Mishra

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 10

The Chandigarh Education Department has decided an estimated increase between Rs 250 and Rs 300 in the economically weaker section (EWS) reimbursement amount for private schools under the EWS quota for three subsequent years.

The UT had notified per child cost of Rs 1,370 for 2014-15 and has reimbursed Rs 20.73 lakh to 25 private schools for admitting 131 children under Section 12(1)(C) of the RTE Act.

According to sources, the amount for three years has been worked upon — for 2015-16, the cost will scale up to Rs 1,670; up to Rs 1,970 for 2016-17; and up to Rs 2,270 for the 2017-18 session.

The reimbursement amount is being calculated by taking into account the expenditure incurred by the Education Department, including teachers’ salary in government schools, water and electricity bills, maintenance expenditure by the Engineering Department, salary of grade IV employees on the DC rate.

The expenditure is divided by the total number of students (up to Class XII) and then multiplied by the number of students at the elementary level. After schools claim the reimbursement amount, the department decides the amount to be paid, based on whichever is lesser — amount claimed by school or amount decided by the department.

The UT has so far reimbursed Rs 20.73 lakh to 25 private schools for the admission of 131 children under Section 12(1)(C) of the RTE Act.

Parents throng office over income certificates

Meanwhile, parents were seen making a beeline at the District Education Office for queries related to the income certificates under the EWS quota.

Sources said there were queries from parents seeking to admit their children to private schools, including Strawberry Fields High School and St Mary’s School.

Atul Khanna, Director, Strawberry Fields High School, said: “We are waiting for a final word from the Education Department — whether to accept the application forms without income certificates or not. So far, there has been no diktat on the issue by the department. We will enrol students even after the extended date but only after clarity on income certificates is received from the department.”

The last date for issuing admission forms has been extended to December 25 for the EWS category.