All playschools will have to register

This will apply across the State

In the wake of reports alleging sexual assault on children in a playschool in Bellandur, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has decided to make it mandatory playschools/preschools across the State to register with them.

Addressing mediapersons, Commissioner for Public Instruction Sowjanya said that while playschools attached to primary schools are being registered, individual and stand-alone ones were exempted as a per a circular issued in 2006. However, this will now change.

Ajay Seth, Principal Secretary of the Department of Primary and Secondary Education, said that the 2006 circular was withdrawn on Monday. Playschools will be given a ‘feasible’ time to register with the department. Between June and August 2016, the department had registered close to 1,300 playschools. This number is expected to rise with the removal of the exemption.

The Department of Women and Child Development has laid down detailed guidelines for creches and day-care centres catering to children between 90 days and four years. These creches, too, will have to register with the jurisdictional local bodies, such as the BBMP.

However, officials believe that there is an overlap among creches, daycare centres and playschools. An earlier Education Department guideline had made registration mandatory for playschools handling children aged between three and six. “We will have to sort it out,” an official pointed out.

Pruthvi Banwasi, secretary, Karnataka Council for Preschools Association, termed the mandatory registration as a positive development. “Government officials from different departments would inspect us or try to regulate us. We are happy that we will finally come under the ambit of one department,” he said.

Mr. Seth pointed out that the State government, during the budget session, would also amend norms to bring CBSE and ICSE schools under the ambit of the Child Protection Policy (CPP).