Maharashtra government may consider allowing 'self-financed' schools

Maharashtra government is mulling over a legislation on allowing private players to set up schools on their own sans any government aid, provided they conform with the provisions of the Right to Education (RTE) Act.

"We have accepted the policy to give permission to schools provided they are within the ambit of the Right to Education Act," Minister of state for education Fauzia Khan told PTI after emerging from a meeting chaired by education minister Rajendra Darda.

The meeting was attended by NCP leader and presiding officer in the Legislative Assembly Nawab Malik, Congress MLC Mohan Joshi among others.

"If somebody wants to establish a school to impart quality education using their own resources and funds why should government prevent them from it," she said, adding provided such schools do not ask the government for any kind of financial assistance.

However, MLC Ramnath Mote from the Teachers constituency registered his protest to the move.

"The state government wants to incur less expenditure and do not want to give any assistance to non-aided schools," he said alleging that the proposed legislation to this effect would allow anyone with money to start schools anywhere he wants.