School in Dharavi on closure course over fund crunch

MUMBAI: At a time when the Right to Education (RTE) Act is assuring students free education till elementary school (Std VIII), the primary section of a school in Dharavi plans to shut down due to lack of funds.

This and other minority institutes in the state are facing similar problems after the government stopped grants to students from backward classes since 2007. Also parents of most students cannot afford the fees.

Ganesh Vidya Mandir is the only Marathi medium school in Dharavi and being a minority institute, most students there come from backward classes.

"Earlier, grants from the government covered students' fees and teachers' salaries. Now, the situation is very bad," said Mahadev Khandare, a school employee.

Since 2007, parents have been paying only Rs 50 a month, instead of Rs 350, and the management claimed it had exhausted its funds. "Almost all parents are daily wage workers. They can't afford to pay more," Khandare added.

The school authorities have approached various officials for help but to no avail. "Our teachers have not been paid salaries since June last year as the management is running out of funds. The teachers stopped receiving provident fund almost 18 months ago," Khandare added. Staff members are looking for sponsors to keep the school running. "The teachers don't have much of an option, so they are trying their best," Khandare said.

The government stopped grants to minority institutes after the matter went to court in 2007.

The court questioned the criteria on the basis of which a school was declared a minority institute. The government was also questioned about the unequal distribution of minority schools in the city.

"Some areas had more than three to four such schools while other areas had none. The government was forced to rethink the policy and since then, minority institutes across the state stopped receiving grants," said Naseem Siddiqui, chairman, State Minority Commission.

Over the past few years, several minority institutes have been given permission to be set up but on a conditional basis- no grants from the government.

"We have tried to persuade the government to resume the grants, at least small amounts, so that schools don't shut down. We are waiting for a positive reply," Siddiqui added.