Session starts, private schools face first test

Even as the admission season in Haryana schools take off, parents are unsure of their children8217;s fate with the Haryana Education Department determined not to allow those private schools to function who fail to comply with the new norm set by the government from this academic session. Under the new norm, private schools can only have 35 per cent covered area even if they have to procure a change of land use CLU certificate from the concerned authority, failing which the schools will be derecognised.

The problem, however, is that the Education Department will take almost a month till the end of April to check the records of the all private schools. The Education Department has made two concessions though. It has allowed private schools to extend the last date of admission of students to April 30 and has agreed to consider applications of those schools that submit a NOC from the concerned authorities till April 10. No wonder the fate of two lakh teachers, 35 lakh students and thousands of private schools hangs in balance. The whole exercise began two months ago when the state Education Department asked all the private schools to apply afresh for recognition under the new norms. March 31 was kept as the last date for application.

Soon, the Federation of Haryana Unorganised Schools Association FHUSA was up in arms. It began dharnas and protests all across the state. The Haryana unit of BJP has taken up their cause now. It has warned the Hooda government of launching a statewise agitation if the private school owners were not given relief. The private schools, most of whom have applied for recognition, with their respective District Education Officers are determined to carry out the admission process as per schedule from April 1. The owners feel that with the little space at their disposal, it was difficult to meet the new norm.

However, at least 4,000 permanently recognised private schools would not fall under the purview of the new education policy in Haryana, but the fate of rest of the schools would only be known after physical checking. Meanwhile, the protesting teachers and school heads in the state are hopeful that the Haryana government will relaxe the norm further. They are also hopeful of securing recognition from the Education Department. But both Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Education Minister Phool Chand Mullana have warned the schools to be prepared to fulfill the new norm if they want to be recognised.