State yet to act on pre-primary school policy report

A 21-member study group was formed in 2011,chaired by Minister of State for School Education Fauzia Khan. Stating that pre-primary schools are currently not regulated,a key suggestion of the panel was to bring pre-primary schools under the ambit of the school education department,with regulated fee structure,based on the facilities provided by the schools,uniform rules and curriculum.

“We have not been informed as to what has happened to the recommendations since we submitted the report. The government does not seem to be very serious about implementing the policy. We can see that the issue is not being followed up. It is really sad,” said Nalini Chhugani,educationist and member of the study group.

“Pre-primary schools are money-making institutions. There is an urgent need to set rules and regulations for such schools. The Right to Education Act,2009,too suggests that the state government should make an education policy for children aged between three to six. The state should follow this rule,” said another member of the study group.

The matter is now being taken up by Aditya Shirodkar,president of Maharashtra Navnirman Vidhyarthi Sena (MNVS). Activists of MNVS are planning to meet Khan to ascertain the status of the pre-primary school policy.

dipti.sonawala@expressindia.com