Patna, Feb 18 (IANS) Bihar Education Minister P.K. Shahi Saturday announced here that the government will not harass or force private schools to follow the rules of the right to education law.

"I can assure that the government will not implement RTE (Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act) in Bihar and will not force private schools to follow rules under it," Shahi said at a function organised by private school owners here.

He told private school owners not to be afraid of the law because it will not be implemented in the near future. "You are free to operate, the government will not harass you in the name of RTE," Shahi said.

Last year, the state government invoke the act, stating that all private schools will have to enrol with the government.

The education department officials then justified the state government's insistence on registration of all private schools. They said that under the law the state government was mandated to monitor quality of education, adequate number of teachers in schools and other infrastructure.

Over 25,000 private schools across the state observed a strike Wednesday against the state government's decision to seek registration of these schools.