Days ahead of schools reopening in Karnataka, the government has served notices to over 600 private schools for adding sections in classes without seeking permission.
Private school managements have objected to the notices. They claim that, according to the order of the State government on March 20, 2006, private school managements are free to open additional sections, but officials of the Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) are issuing notices to ‘harass’ them.
The Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka has written a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah seeking his intervention.
Officials claim violations by schools
The department has prepared a list of around 620 schools that have added sections without permission. This apart, as many as 74 schools have upgraded the classes without affiliation. A total of 95 schools, that have permission to offer only State board education, were found cheating parents and children by claiming affiliation to various other boards. A total of 294 schools are illegally offering English medium education despite being permitted to teach in Kannada medium, and 141 schools have shifted premises without getting permission from the department concerned.
The department had granted 45 days of grace period, starting April 17, to these schools to comply with the rules and correct their mistakes.
The DSEL has also recently identified 1,316 unauthorised private schools in Karnataka.
“We don’t have any objection to action taken against unauthorised schools in Karnataka. But the department has wrongly listed 620 private schools for having additional sections without permission. According to the March 20, 2006, government order, private school managements are free to open additional sections. There is no provision for any prior permission from the department for opening new sections. This is our right. On the basis of students’ enrolment and infrastructure, we are free to open new sections,” said Shashikumar D., general secretary of the school managements’ association.
“We have updated all the relevant data in the SATS website of the department. The department is allotting students under RTE quota to our schools. When this is the case, how can they call the additional sections as illegal?”
Schools warn of protest if notices on additional sections are not withdrawn
“We have reached out to the department concerned, Principal Secretary, Commissioner, but there is no progress. Officials continue to issue notices. Therefore, we have now written a letter to the Chief Minister seeking his intervention immediately, and withdrawal of the notices. Otherwise, we will start an indefinite protest against the government,” he said.
