Maharashtra: In the Maharashtra Legislative Council, School Education Minister Dada Bhuse revealed that out of the 24,152 private schools operating across the state, 388 are running without official approval. Responding to a query raised by Council member Dr. Pragya Satav, Bhuse stated that measures are being taken against these institutions under the Right to Education (RTE) Act.
A special campaign led by the State Education Commissioner has been launched to address this issue. So far, fines have been imposed on 36 schools, while criminal cases have been registered against 99 others.
Bhuse also acknowledged the deteriorating condition of several government school buildings, with many classrooms in urgent need of repairs. While these schools receive funding through the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, the state government is exploring additional measures to enhance their infrastructure and overall quality.
Discussing the financial aspects of the RTE Act, Bhuse disclosed that Maharashtra requires ₹2,965.61 crore to clear pending fee reimbursements from 2012-13 to 2023-24. However, only ₹1,188.18 crore has been disbursed so far, leaving an outstanding amount of ₹1,777.43 crore.
Regarding teacher recruitment, Bhuse noted that the Pavitra portal, which currently facilitates hiring on an annual basis, often leads to vacancies in schools. To resolve this, the portal will now remain open throughout the year, allowing for the immediate recruitment of teachers when positions become available. Additionally, he emphasized that for Kannada and Urdu schools, only educators proficient in the respective languages will be appointed.
