Schools of Eminence draw flak for ‘discrimination’

The AAP government has come up with Schools of Eminence, the institutions that offer students the best of facilities — from teachers, infrastructure to other benefits.

As the trend is catching on, majority parents prefer to send their children to the Schools of Eminence (SOE). For admission to SOEs, an entrance test is conducted. Students who clear the test get a seat. Since the schools have limited staff, the students who clear the test and those who enrol without the entrance test have to sit in same classroom. The entrance test for new admissions to SOEs was held on April 6.

In this entire exercise of the state government, regular students feel being “discriminated” against. Talking to The Tribune, a teacher at SOE in Jawahar Nagar Camp here said SOE and non-SOE students used to sit in same class and the government had created “discrimination” among the students.

“The SOE students and non-SOE pupils are made to sit in same class due to staff shortage. The SOE students enjoy privileges like good quality uniform, shoes, books and notebooks, besides subsidised bus fare and other benefits. At the same time, the non-SOE students cannot claim these facilities, which is uncalled for,” said the teacher.

Dinesh Kumar (name changed) who studies in class XI at School of Eminence, Model Town, is a non-SOE student. “At times, we feel that the SOE students are superior to us. The bus fare for the non-SOE students is three times more than the SOE students. The quality of school uniforms is also different. We also come from same background and study in same environment. Why preferential treatment is being given to the SOE students,” he asked.

Another teacher, wishing not to be quoted, said they had been conveyed by the high-ups not to admit more students to non-SOE classes/schools. “We, as teachers, too fail to understand why step-motherly treatment is being meted out to non-SOE students. The Right to Education calls for same treatment to all needy students. Why are we creating a differentiation among the students? The parents whose wards fail to get admission to SOE come to us and ask why there was a disparity. We feel awkward in replying to their queries. The government should open different SOE schools so that non-SOEs students should not feel discrimination,” said the teacher.

Ludhiana