The Supreme Court on Thursday impressed upon the Centre the need to have quality Government-run schools similar to Government-run medical colleges, which are considered the best in the country.
“If the Government-run medical colleges are considered as best in the country why can’t the Government come up with best schools at primary levelIJ It is the duty of the Government to have more schools,” a bench comprising Justices AR Dave and UU lalit said.
“Government medical colleges have been always preferred. Now we are seeing private colleges because of business purpose,” the Bench observed. The remarks came on a petition challenging a Karnataka High Court order directing some minority institutions to admit children under the 25 per centquota under the Right to Education (RTE) Act.
The schools challenged the order claiming benefit of a SC judgment that exempted aided and unaided minority institutions from RTE. The HC failed to recognise the schools as minority institutions for want of a certificate of National Commission for Minorities declaring them so. They later procured it during pendency of the case in HC.
The Bench felt there was a lack of will on part of the Government to develop Government schools and gave example of how a community school in Gujarat provided top quality primary education, basic healthcare, library and gymnasium due to their own efforts.The Bench posted the matter for final hearing for November 10 even as petitioner’s lawyer argued that the decision of HC had far reaching consequences. The Court asked petitioner to produce the entire HC case record on the next date.