RTE row: KUSMA bandh flops in Mysore

Majority of private schools in Mysore city function as usual

Majority of private schools in the city functioned normally on Monday despite a bandh call by the Karnataka (Recognised) Unaided Schools’ Managements’ Association (KUSMA) in protest against the lack of clarity in the implementation of Right to Education Act (RTE).

Information gathered from officials in the Department of Public Instruction here showed that the call for a weeklong bandh had not evoked any response from the private unaided schools here. Barring a few schools associated with the KUSMA, all others functioned as usual.

Managements of some private schools here were divided over the KUSMA’s decision to close schools for a week when the government convened a meeting in Bangalore on Monday to discuss issues pertaining to implementation of the RTE.

Members of the Central Board of Secondary Education, the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education and the State Private Schools’ Management Association, Mysore, decided to wait for the outcome of the meeting.

There was confusion among parents whether schools were functioning on Monday following the bandh call. Many were seen inquiring with the school authorities if they were supporting the bandh or not.

Sources in the Education Department told

The Hindu that the department officials here had been asked to assess the situation especially in the wake of Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar’s maiden visit to the city.

‘All worked’

When The Hindu spoke to the block education officers (BEOs) of three education blocks (North, South and Rural), they said that most schools functioned as usual. “There are about 80 unaided schools in the South block and almost all of them worked,” said Raghunandan, BEO (South).

In the Rural block, there are over 100 private schools, including aided and unaided. “I have got information that majority of the schools functioned normally,” said Aradhya, BEO (Rural).

BEO (North) Karigowda said schools in the north block functioned normally. “In fact, many of them (private schools) have complied with the guidelines of the RTE. Hence, the question of closing down the schools does not arise,” he said.