Prayers in school should be ‘non religious’

The All Private Schools Welfare Association has called for introducing non-religious prayers in schools. Such a system will help foster a generation of students who will bring about communal harmony.

State president Maya Devi Shankar told a recent meeting of the association that the State Government must expedite the fee reimbursement for private schools for students admitted under Right To Education (RTE) Act.

Admissions under the Act must be restricted to students residing within 2km of the private schools. With Samacheer syllabus bringing about a uniform curriculum in all schools, students must be encouraged to take admissions in private schools.

The Department of School Education must expedite the private schools’ proposals for renewing the recognition. The recognition period must be extended to five years from the current three years.

She asked the State Government to ensure that orders regarding closure of private schools were given in March or April towards the end of the academic year rather than during June, when the schools would be reopening.