Education Act not properly implemented: Audit report

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | July 25

Comptroller and Auditor General of India report for the year ended March 31, 2016 said the state government did not plan and allocate adequate budgetary resources to accommodate the actual number of children attaining the age of enrollment due to non-preparation of database of children who had attained the age of elementary education while implementing RTE Act, 2009,which covered the period of 2010-11 to 2015-16.

The report further said there were 4,670 teachers who did not have the minimum academic qualification. Text books and uniforms were not distributed to the students on time. The creation of basic infrastructure for school suffered due to non-release of fund, diversion of fund and non-utilization of fund.

No action was taken to close the 106 unrecognised un-aided private schools as per provisions of the Act. State government was yet to issue an order for reservation of 25 per cent of seats in class 1 for children belonging to weaker section and disadvantage groups in aided private schools.

The audit covered implementation of various aspects of the ACT at state, district/block level and local level.

The excess of child population from the anticipated number of children who had attained the age of enrolment as per Annual Work Plan & Budget(AWPB) was ranged from six to 55 per cent. Also, during 2010-16, out of total functioning unaided private schools, 11.04% to 13.62% were un-recognised schools, it said.

Around  4,670 teachers in the state does not have minimum academic qualification as on date of audit. 76 are under Class 10, 1664 are class 10 pass only and 2,930 are 10+2 only without other qualification as envisaged in the notification.

The details of free books distribution by the State Mission Authority (SMA) found out that distribution of text books to the districts of Manipur was delayed in all the years (2010-11 to 2015-16) under reference and the period of delay was in the range of more than one month to more than six months.

 Sarba Shiksha Abhiyan(SSA) stated that Board of Secondary Education, Manipur (the supplier) did not supply the text books on time.

Furthermore, there was delay in release of fund directly to the SMA by the government of India ranging from 4 days to 365 days in release of Central share and 175 days to 246 days in release of State share.

The audit report stated that State Project Officer diverted Rs. 3.31 crore meant for construction of school buildings without any authorisation which adversely affected creation of basic infrastructure in schools.

Audit scrutiny revealed that SSA, Manipur retained heavy bank balance during 2010-11 to 2015-16. Whereas the State Project Director, SSA stated that the reason was due to release of major part of fund at the end of the financial year.

During 2010-11 to 2015-16, the numbers of seat required for students to be reserved in Class 1 for weaker and disadvantaged group in recognized unaided private schools was 48,894. However, till the date of audit there were no reimbursement claims from these schools.

The state is yet to issue orders regarding 25% of reservation of children belonging to weaker section and disadvantaged group in private/unaided schools and reimbursement of expenditure incurred by the schools.

The report recommended that the state government should prepare a reliable database of children who had attained the age of enrolment and update it periodically to ensure that all eligible children are brought under the RTE Act, ensure early completion and adequacy of infrastructure as mandated under the RTE Act, prepare action plan to provide training to teachers not having minimum educational qualification; ensure timely distribution of text books and uniforms to students, prepare a well laid action plan and implement it to regularize the un-recognised schools in a time bound manner, and ensure the provision of 25 % reservation in private unaided schools as per Section 12(1) of the Act.

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | July 25

Comptroller and Auditor General of India report for the year ended March 31, 2016 said the state government did not plan and allocate adequate budgetary resources to accommodate the actual number of children attaining the age of enrollment due to non-preparation of database of children who had attained the age of elementary education while implementing RTE Act, 2009,which covered the period of 2010-11 to 2015-16.

The report further said there were 4,670 teachers who did not have the minimum academic qualification. Text books and uniforms were not distributed to the students on time. The creation of basic infrastructure for school suffered due to non-release of fund, diversion of fund and non-utilization of fund.

No action was taken to close the 106 unrecognised un-aided private schools as per provisions of the Act. State government was yet to issue an order for reservation of 25 per cent of seats in class 1 for children belonging to weaker section and disadvantage groups in aided private schools.

The audit covered implementation of various aspects of the ACT at state, district/block level and local level.

The excess of child population from the anticipated number of children who had attained the age of enrolment as per Annual Work Plan & Budget(AWPB) was ranged from six to 55 per cent. Also, during 2010-16, out of total functioning unaided private schools, 11.04% to 13.62% were un-recognised schools, it said.

Around  4,670 teachers in the state does not have minimum academic qualification as on date of audit. 76 are under Class 10, 1664 are class 10 pass only and 2,930 are 10+2 only without other qualification as envisaged in the notification.

The details of free books distribution by the State Mission Authority (SMA) found out that distribution of text books to the districts of Manipur was delayed in all the years (2010-11 to 2015-16) under reference and the period of delay was in the range of more than one month to more than six months.

 Sarba Shiksha Abhiyan(SSA) stated that Board of Secondary Education, Manipur (the supplier) did not supply the text books on time.

Furthermore, there was delay in release of fund directly to the SMA by the government of India ranging from 4 days to 365 days in release of Central share and 175 days to 246 days in release of State share.

The audit report stated that State Project Officer diverted Rs. 3.31 crore meant for construction of school buildings without any authorisation which adversely affected creation of basic infrastructure in schools.

Audit scrutiny revealed that SSA, Manipur retained heavy bank balance during 2010-11 to 2015-16. Whereas the State Project Director, SSA stated that the reason was due to release of major part of fund at the end of the financial year.

During 2010-11 to 2015-16, the numbers of seat required for students to be reserved in Class 1 for weaker and disadvantaged group in recognized unaided private schools was 48,894. However, till the date of audit there were no reimbursement claims from these schools.

The state is yet to issue orders regarding 25% of reservation of children belonging to weaker section and disadvantaged group in private/unaided schools and reimbursement of expenditure incurred by the schools.

The report recommended that the state government should prepare a reliable database of children who had attained the age of enrolment and update it periodically to ensure that all eligible children are brought under the RTE Act, ensure early completion and adequacy of infrastructure as mandated under the RTE Act, prepare action plan to provide training to teachers not having minimum educational qualification; ensure timely distribution of text books and uniforms to students, prepare a well laid action plan and implement it to regularize the un-recognised schools in a time bound manner, and ensure the provision of 25 % reservation in private unaided schools as per Section 12(1) of the Act.

Read more / Original news source: http://www.ifp.co.in/item/2218-education-act-not-properly-implemented-audit-report