The free education scheme “CHEERAG” was launched by Haryana’s government with a view to provide quality education for economically weaker sections.
Recently, the Haryana government launched the chief minister equal education relief, assistance, and grant(CHEERAG) scheme to provide quality education for class 2nd to 12th in private schools for the Economically Weaker Section(EWS).
This scheme mainly aims at the students whose family verified annual income is less than rupees 1.8 lakhs for class 2nd to 12th and Haryana government provides Ncert Books also. There is also a Physics Wallah who provides NCERT solutions for class 8.
The present government scheme is facing setbacks. It seems that students are not willing to leave their existing government schools. Out of the total of 533 listed private schools. There were a total of 381 schools technically qualified for the scheme.
All the 381 registered private schools offered 24,987 seats, of which only 1665 seats filled under the CHEERAG scheme, which is even less than seven percent. Some students also want free tuition or NCERT Solutions also.
Haryana’s chief minister(CM) launched the chief minister equal education relief, assistance, and grant(CHEERAG) scheme. Which was introduced in place of the similar scheme launched by the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government in 2007 under the rule of 134A of Haryana school education rules, 2003.
Under this scheme, students from classes II to XII whose family verified income is less than 1.8 lakhs rupees can enroll in the private school. Those eligible will reimburse rs 700 per student to rs 1100 per student. Classes from II to V will get rs 700 per student, classes from VI to VIII will get rs 900. And classes from IX to XII will get rs 1100 per student.
The authorities did not get a good response from the state’s students. Mostly technically qualified private schools are in villages and towns. Although, urban schools did not participate in the scheme because most schools in cities charge more than rs 3000 per month. And they thought this scheme would not benefit them.
Haryana Vidhyalaya Adhyapak Sangh, a governmental body of teachers. Seemed unimpressed with the CHEERAG scheme and has already staged a protest against the scheme. But, union has given the reason for protesting that it will promote private schools at the cost of government schools.
Wazir Singh(the former union president) slashed the present government scheme. He said the government should improve the infrastructure and the vacant posts of the teachers instead of offering free education in private schools. There are more than 40,000 seats are lying vacant. If the government continues to shift the students to the private, one day, government schools will turn empty. He added.
The heat has raised from a viral video where a woman pointed the Haryana’s government scheme saying. “If a student goes to the government school, then he or she has to pay Rs 500 monthly, while if the student opts for a private school. He or she will get Rs 1,100 monthly from the government.”
On the other hand, the state education department countered the blaze, saying that Haryana’s government school is free. The woman in the viral video talks about a government-model Sanskriti school in which students have to pay minimal fees. Many government schools have implemented the government model Sanskriti in schools to improve the quality of education.
The state government is very optimistic about admission to private schools next year. Haryana’s CM Manohar La Khattar said education is free in government schools from class I to XII. However, students of classes from I to VIII will be provided uniforms, textbooks, workbooks, schoolbags, etc free of cost. The nominal contribution would be taken from the parents whose annual verified income is above 1.8 lakh rupees.
