Karnataka schools to donate RTE reimbursement to Kerala and Kodagu flood victims

BENGALURU: As Kerala and Kodagu reeling under floods, help continued to pour in from residents, educational institutions and various government departments in Karnataka.
Over 3,000 private unaided schools will contribute a part of the Right to Education (RTE) reimbursement the government owes to them to the private school disaster management fund to be set up jointly with the education department and institutions.They hope the contributions from RTE payments will be between Rs 6 crore and Rs 10 crore.
The Associated Management of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka said the money should be used by the government for rehabilitation of victims, rebuilding of houses and schools in affected areas.
Shalini Rajneesh, principal secretary, education department, has forwarded a proposal to the chief secretary, seeking approval to open a joint account of the education department and private unaided schools, where schools can deposit the money they raise.
“There are a lot of organizations who have been collecting relief materials and sending them to affected areas. But we don’t know if they are reaching the needy. So we decided to donate from the RTE reimbursement. We’ve requested for a joint account so that even students, teachers and parents can also pitch in,” said Shashi Kumar, secretary. Education department officials expect an order to be issued with regard to the joint account and disaster management fund by Friday.
Private unaided schools get about Rs 6,000 to 18,000 per child as RTE annual reimbursement.
According to school heads, a separate fund will help them draw up a clear plan, ensure effective implementation and prevent misuse.
Higher edu Min, University Teachers pitch in
Higher education minister GT Devegowda on Tuesday said he’ll donate his one month salary for the CM’s Disaster Relief Fund to help rebuild Kodagu.
KR Venugopal, vice-chancellor of Bangalore University, has donated a month’s salary, about Rs 2 lakh. “I request all vice-chancellors and college principals in the state to contribute towards the relief fund. Bengalureans get water from Talacauvery and they must all contribute for the district which is now affected,” he said.
The Karnataka Government College Teachers’ Association has contributed Rs 10 crore, Bengaluru Central University Teachers’ Association Rs 25 lakh while engineering colleges have pooled in Rs 2 crore.
The Federation of University and College Teachers’ Association in Karnataka has requested the government to deduct a day’s salary. NCC units of Tumakuru University have raised Rs 2.43 lakh from science and arts colleges, postgraduate students of Red Cross Units of all colleges and students of affiliate colleges. Lecturers and non-teaching staff of Tumakuru University have donated a day’s salary to the tune of Rs 5.21 lakh towards the CM’s relief fund. The PES College management has donated Rs 1.5 crore towards both Kerala and Kodagu relief works.