The Holy Cross High School in Lower Parel has rubbed the Shiv Sena up the wrong way by starting its admission process for junior KG as per the Right to Education Act.
The Holy Cross High School in Lower Parel has rubbed the Shiv Sena up the wrong way by starting its admission process for junior KG as per the Right to Education Act. For, the Sena has now put up a banner, condemning the school for admitting students in accordance with the Act and not giving preference to locals. If the school doesn’t fall in line, then it must be ready to face Sena’s wrath, the party has threatened.
The school has around 240 seats in Jr KG. Since it is a minority aided school, it has the right to reserve 50 per cent of its seats for the minorities while the remaining are open to others and RTE in equal measures. “When we started giving forms, the Sena put up the banner, threatening the school. We have made a police complaint as we are only following rules,” said Fr Constancio Noronha, manager of the school and Parish Priest of the Church which runs it.
Noronha added, “We anyways do not have large number of minority (Christian) students living here. Hence, after they take admissions, almost 80 seats from their quota are set aside for the open category. Twenty five per cent seats are to be reserved as per the RTE and it needs to be implemented from the point of entry. Our school is aided from standard one but we have implemented it for Jr KG for the benefit of the children.”
Sada Sarvankar of the Sena said, “Our banner came up only after the school put up a board stating 60 per cent seats will be reserved for minorities. We requested them that local students should be given admission which should not be held on the basis of their caste.” Sarvankar, however, did not provide any proof to show that the school had indeed put up such a board.
S Ghagare of NM Joshi Marg police station said, “Lots of people keep putting up boards and banners. If they (Sena) do something, we will act. As of now, we have provided the school with protection.”
Nandan Nangare, joint director, Maharashtra Prathamik Shiskhan Parishad (MPSP), said: “Under the RTE Act, aided minority schools are required to admit 25 per cent students from weaker sections. Even if the pre-primary section is unaided, still the school can admit 25 per cent admissions for those classes. No one can challenge the school for doing so.”
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