The Department of Primary and Secondary Education has decided to be more stringent when granting permission to start new private schools. At the phone-in programme ‘Samvedana’ on Monday, Primary and Secondary Education Minister S. Suresh Kumar, while responding to a student on low enrolment in government schools, said that the department would use its discretion to ensure that no private school is provided permission to operate if there is a government school in the vicinity.
Mr. Suresh Kumar said that he will ensure that this is implemented from the next academic year.
Concerns of students were the focus of the second phone-in programme though several teachers and parents also made calls. Students raised concerns of poor infrastructure in their schools and the lack of adequate teachers.
Karate classes for girls
One student urged the government to start karate classes for girls. The minister immediately directed officials to act on this.
In response to a question on the Ksheera Bhagya programme, the Minister said that the department would soon introduce a powder that can be added to milk to make it tastier.
Several class seven students sought to know if they would have to write the public examination this academic year. Mr. Suresh Kumar said a decision would be taken within a week.
Many class ten students sought clarifications on the changes in the SSLC examination pattern this year.
