GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

LOK SABHA

UNSTARREDQUESTION NO: 1489

ANSWERED ON: 06.03.2013

PRIVATE SCHOOLS 

(a) whether the number of private upper primary and secondary schools are rising more in the private sector vis-a-vis the public sector; 

(b)if so, the reaction of the Government thereto; 

(c)the number of schools that have risen in the aforesaid sectors respectively during the academic years 2009-10 and 2012-13; 

(d)whether the Government has pondered over the consequences of privatepublic schools outnumbering the Government schools; and 

(e) if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER

(a) to (c) : As per the Statistics of School Education brought out by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, the number of GovernmentLocal Bodies and Private aided  Private unaided schools during 2009-10 (Provisional) and 2010-11(Provisional) in the country is given below:

The number of upper primary schools under the GovernmentLocal Bodies increased during 2010-11 (Provisional) as compared to that of 2009-10 (Provisional). There is a decline in the number of private upper primary schools during the same period. However, the number of secondary schools both under GovernmentLocal Bodies and Private also increased during the same period. Data on number of schools for 2011-12 and 2012-13 is not available. 

(d) & (e): The Government is not unduly concerned about the number of private schools as long as the obective of educating our children is met. The Government has been making consistent progress in meeting the goals of Universal Elementary Education through implementation of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act 2009, which became operational with effect from 1st April, 2010, provides that every child in the 6 to 14 age-group shall have a right to free and compulsory education till completion of elementary education. The SSA Framework of Implementation has been revised to correspond with the provisions of the RTE Act 2009 and the SSA is being implemented in accordance with the norms and standards of the RTE Act to enhance enrolment and retention of children. The SSA provides for opening of new schools, additional classrooms and infrastructure, appointment of additional teachers, free textbooks, free uniforms and quality interventions. The Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya Scheme provides for setting up of residential upper primary schools. Further, the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) has been launched for universal access to secondary education.Under the RMSA, there is a provision for opening new secondary schools, the strengthening of existing secondary schools and the upgradation of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas to secondary schools. The Centrally Sponsored Scheme to set up 6000 model schools at the rate of one school per block was also launched in November 2008.