The Maharashtra English School Trustees Association (MESTA) has appealed to the state government to provide interest-free bank loans to English-medium schools, citing severe financial distress due to the non-reimbursement of Right to Education (RTE) fees. The call was made during MESTA’s 11th State-Level Convention.
Sanjayrao Tayade Patil, founder-president of MESTA, highlighted that nearly ₹2,500 crores are pending in RTE reimbursements under the 25% free admission mandate. These payments have been delayed for over four years, placing significant financial pressure on private unaided English-medium schools. Patil asserted that immediate government action is necessary and warned that failure to meet their demands within a stipulated timeframe could lead to a state-wide protest.
Beyond the RTE reimbursement, MESTA raised several other critical issues affecting the functioning and sustainability of English-medium schools. One key demand is that private English schools under municipal councils and town panchayats should receive property and revenue tax exemptions, similar to those granted to schools in municipal and rural areas.
The association also emphasised the importance of teacher preparedness in the wake of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. MESTA insisted that comprehensive training must be provided to teachers in English-medium institutions to align with the new educational framework.
Additionally, MESTA called for the extension of National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship (NMS) and National Talent Search (NTS) exams to include students from English-medium schools, ensuring equal academic opportunities for all.
Finally, the association demanded the allocation of a distinct school code for English-medium schools, which would aid in streamlining administrative processes and policy implementation.
MESTA’s demands reflect the broader concerns of private English-medium institutions striving for parity, support, and recognition within the state’s educational landscape.
