The Tamil Nadu Nursery, Primary, Matriculation and Higher Secondary Schools Welfare Association has warned that more than 2,000 primary and nursery schools in the State face the threat of closure in the current academic year over the issue of obtaining/renewing recognition.
This would jeopardise the education of thousands of students and throw hundreds of teachers out of work.
Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, association general secretary G. Krishnaraj said 900 schools in Tamil Nadu had already been closed by the Department of School Education last month as they had not been able to obtain or renew recognition mainly over their inability to meet the land requirements.
The Right of Children To Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act prohibited schools from operating without recognition.
“The State Government must not enforce land norms till the committee constituted to look into the land requirements for private schools submitted its report. Also, schools must be given adequate time to comply with the committee’s recommendations,” he said.
Further, he also appealed for more time for schools to comply with the Transport Department’s conditions for operating school vehicles. He appealed to the government to relax some of the norms, terming them as ‘impractical’ to implement.
In the wake of Private Schools Fee Determination Committee, headed by Justice S.R Singaravelu announcing the fee levels for current academic year, Mr. Krishnaraj said that many parents were refusing to pay the school fees.
They were also complaining to school education officials that the schools were refusing to issue Transfer Certificates for their children.
He appealed to the Department of School Education to direct their staff to investigate such complaints and ensure they were genuine before initiating action against the schools.
