KALYAN/ MUMBAI: Unaided schools in Maharashtra have decided to boycott the Right to Education Act quota admissions next academic year if the state fails to reimburse them for the previous years by December 31.

All unaided non-minority schools have to reserve 25% seats at the entry level for students from economically weaker sections. Admissions to these seats are conducted online by the local civic authorities through a lottery. Schools have been promised approximately Rs 14,000 per annum per child from the state.

Rajendra Singh, president, Maharashtra Unaided Private School Association, said they were “tired of following up” with government officials, holding protest marches and meeting ministers for the past two years.

“In spite of assurances from the government, we have not received any money. The dues up to 2015 are about Rs 300 crore. If you add the past two years, it is much higher,” he said.

Several unaided schools associations met on Saturday at the Saket Gyanpeeth College in Kalyan.

Bharat Mallik, ex-president of Unaided School Managment Association , said, “If we do not get reimbursements, how would we pay teachers? Why has the government made promises they can’t keep? We can’t charge any extra fees for these students and the additional burden is making it difficult to run schools.”

SC Kedia, secretary, Unaided School Forum, said, “The biggest question for us today is how do we run schools properly if we do not get the promised reimbursement. Since five years we followed government directives. Now that we have given an ultimatum to the government, we hope we receive the compensation before December 31.”

School education secretary Nandkumar said the reimbursements can be expected soon. “The payment is pending but it is expected soon. It was delayed due to procedural issues.”

The association has demanded that the government relax conditions for small private schools in rural areas which do not have large space or funds to provide a ground, library and others facilities.

