Schools to be set up in public-private partnership mode

[Sarita Thakore]

The recent article published in The Hindu on July 10, 2010 is shared here:

"With a view to set standards for quality education in smaller and far-off areas, the Centre on Friday arrived at a consensus to set up secondary schools in public-private partnership (PPP) in 2,500 blocks across the country. This is the first of its kind initiative to provide quality schooling for children.

The issue had been hanging fire for the past three years with the Human Resource Development Ministry and the Planning Commission failing to arrive at a consensus over the modalities.

At a roundtable held here, it was decided that while the capital cost of such schools would be borne by the private partners, the Centre would pay for the recurring expenses of 40 per cent of the students it will sponsor in each school based on Kendriya Vidyalaya structure. In addition, the Centre will also fund 20 per cent recurring cost towards infrastructural facilities for the sponsored students.

To be launched in 2011-12 and rolled out in three year, the first year will see 500 such schools come up and 1,000 each in the next two years. These schools will have tofollow the minimum standards of Kendriya Vidyalayas including facilities of laboratories, drinking water and toilets and will be affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education.

PREFERENCE PARAMETERS

The government is expected to sign an agreement with the private partners regarding preference parameters based on which the payments would be made. The managements would be free to run the schools in an autonomous manner subject to the satisfaction to the laid down parameters. These schools will be from Class VI to Class XII. The curriculum will have to be innovative.

The government will provide an initial financial support for 10 years – renewable in blocks of five years each – and graduated support of additional 25 per cent on recurring cost to North East, tribal blocks and Jammu and Kashmir. The financial out-go of the Centre in the remaining two years of the Fifth Five Year Plan will be Rs. 500 crore.

However, the private partner cannot have more than 20 schools in State and a maximum of 50 in the country."

School authority and teachers are invited to share their concerns with regard to this decision. Some of the concerns that this decision raises are:

* Is the basis of sharing fine?
* How will the implementation of the RTE Act be taken into account?
* Is the standard of KVs uniform?
* Who will monitor/regulate such schools?

There will be more concerns with regard to access, quality and monitoring. Kindly share on this platform.

Thanks.
Sarita