Chandigarh, November 15
The Punjab Government has closed the chapter of schools operating in the state without complying with the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) norms. As many as 219 schools have now been closed for non-compliance.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court, on a previous date of hearing, was told that as many as 931 private schools in Punjab have also been closed for non-compliance of RTE norms.
As a petition filed in public interest in connection with non-complying schools came up for resumed hearing, a compliance affidavit was placed before the High Court. The affidavit said 219 non-compliant schools have also been closed down and the students have been admitted in neighbourhood schools.
Taking on record the assertion, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Augustine George Masih fixed March 7, 2014, as the next date of hearing on the petition filed by Balraj Singh and another petitioner against the State of Punjab and other respondents.
The petitioners had initially submitted that elementary and primary schools in the state were neither following uniform curriculum, nor having proper building and other infrastructure. Accountability regarding student-teacher ratio was missing in these schools, ultimately resulting in deterioration of education standards.
Punjab Principal Secretary, Department of School Education, Anjali Bhawra, had during the course of hearing earlier informed the High Court that directions had already been issued to District Education Officers to admit students studying in other such institutions to neighbourhood schools.
The development is significant as the state government had granted schools time till March 31 to comply with the norms set under the RTE Act, 2009, and the Punjab RTE Rules, 2011.
The court was told during the hearing of the matter that 9,301 schools in the state were in private sphere. Out of the total, 8,888 had applied for fresh recognition up to March 12. No less than 421 had failed to submit their self-declaration form, despite reminders.
The Punjab Government has closed the chapter of schools operating in the state without complying with the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) norms. As many as 219 schools have now been closed for non-compliance.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court, on a previous date of hearing, was told that as many as 931 private schools in Punjab have also been closed for non-compliance of RTE norms.
As a petition filed in public interest in connection with non-complying schools came up for resumed hearing, a compliance affidavit was placed before the High Court. The affidavit said 219 non-compliant schools have also been closed down and the students have been admitted in neighbourhood schools.
Taking on record the assertion, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Augustine George Masih fixed March 7, 2014, as the next date of hearing on the petition filed by Balraj Singh and another petitioner against the State of Punjab and other respondents.
The petitioners had initially submitted that elementary and primary schools in the state were neither following uniform curriculum, nor having proper building and other infrastructure. Accountability regarding student-teacher ratio was missing in these schools, ultimately resulting in deterioration of education standards.
Punjab Principal Secretary, Department of School Education, Anjali Bhawra, had during the course of hearing earlier informed the High Court that directions had already been issued to District Education Officers to admit students studying in other such institutions to neighbourhood schools.
The development is significant as the state government had granted schools time till March 31 to comply with the norms set under the RTE Act, 2009, and the Punjab RTE Rules, 2011.
The court was told during the hearing of the matter that 9,301 schools in the state were in private sphere. Out of the total, 8,888 had applied for fresh recognition up to March 12. No less than 421 had failed to submit their self-declaration form, despite reminders.
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