KG admissions confuse parents

The Catholic Bishops of the Western Regional Council last week stated that the act “militates against the rights of minority institutions and caused great stress and anxiety among parents since the outcome of their application is uncertain.” Rajni Medhekar, a Bandra resident, was asked to enquire for application forms early next year. “But how will we know about it,” she asked. “Tomorrow, if St Joseph in our area admits my child, some vigilance officer might point out that Mt Mary is closer. Like the schools which do not have any idea which child to admit, I am in a quandary what if my child’s admission will not be nullified on the same ground.”

Another contentious issue is admissions on lottery basis without any preliminary interview at least of the parents. Mitra Surana, whose child is in a nursery school, is anxious. Her child will be one month less four years in the next academic season (June). “I will be in a soup if the school insists on her completion of four years as per the act,” she felt.

Schools affiliated to Indian Council of Secondary Education (ICSE) board are either buying time or closing their lower KG divisions. This has further alarmed parents like Medhekar who prefers to admit her child in such schools since her husband gets regularly transferred. These schools are particularly miffed over the way the government is trying to force reforms without a dialogue with them. Advocate Ashok Kotangle, who handles such cases, stated, “While the act defines pre-primary school as any private pre-school centre by whatever name it is called, its management is defined as one which is coming under the provision of Bombay Public trust Act, 1950 or Societies Registration Act, 1860. Where do the schools having proprietorial hold or partnership control stand?” he asked . Added Nalini Chhugani, president of the Indian Association of Pre-School Education, “There is no survey done on the number and status of such schools.” As for the education department, starting with Deputy Director of Education J M Abhyankar to BMC education officer in-charge Dr T M Patel, everyone is passing the buck. Admitted superintendent of BMC’s education department S Deodhars, “We are seeking the government’s guidance on how to register these schools and which are the types of schools coming under our purview”.