Surat: A troubling case of mismanagement under the Right to Education (RTE) Act has emerged in the Surat district. A parent who secured admission for their child under the Right to Education approached the District Education Officer to help after discovering that the allotted school was not as close as it initially appeared under the Right to Education.
During the Right to Education application process, the selected school appeared as being just 1.25 km away on the official portal. However, after the admission was confirmed, it turned out that the school was 9.2 Km away from the child’s residence in Begumpura. When the parent requested a transfer to a nearby school in Pandesara, the DEO dismissed the appeal and casually told the parent to cancel the admission.
The situation is worsened by the fact that the assigned school only operates classes 1 to 5, and due to low enrollment, classes 4 and 5 are being taught together. The parent argues that sending a child 9.2 Km away daily, especially for such an inadequately functioning school, is unsafe and impractical. They also questioned what would happen to the Rs 30,000 that had already been spent on uniforms, books, and travel expenses incurred for their child.
Despite raising concerns and lodging complaints, no action has been taken against the responsible portal or officials. The case highlights serious flaws in the school allocation process under the Right to Education system and a lack of accountability in the education department’s response.
