The State government on Thursday adopted a legislation that seeks to regulate recognised private schools with an emphasis on safety and security of children in private schools.
Tabling the Bill in the Assembly, School Education Minister K.A. Sengottaiyan said the emphasis of the Tamil Nadu Private Schools (Regulation) Act, 2018, was to regulate admissions, collection of fee and conduct of examinations and ensuring quality education by ensuring basic minimum standards and norms in private schools.
“It specifically prohibits the admission of a child in any school which has not been granted with certificate of recognition. To protect the interests of students, the Bill empowers the government to impose severe penalty, if any pupil is prevented from appearing for the board examination on account of poor academic performance of for any other unhealthy reason,” he said.
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The government had made an announcement in 2012 to constitute an expert committee to suggest a new Comprehensive Act to govern all private schools in the light of the Tamil Nadu Uniform System of School Education Act, 2010 and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.
The Committee had submitted the draft Act for consideration of the government. Based on the draft, the government had decided to enact a comprehensive legislation, he said.
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When the Bill was taken up for consideration, DMK member Thangam Thennarasu (Tiruchuli) urged that the Act should ensure learning process in the classrooms and not become coaching classes.
Mr. Thennarasu also queried how the CBSE schools were be dealt with in respect of the Bill. Mr. Sengottaiyan said that the CBSE schools were to renew their no objection certificate once in three years and if there were issues, they would be taken up with them. Later, the Bill was announced as adopted by the Speaker following a voice vote.
A legislation to amend the Tamil Nadu Land Reforms (Fixation of Ceiling on Land) Act, 1961 was also tabled.
Sugarcane Act
The government also adopted the Tamil Nadu Sugarcane (Regulation of Purchase Price) Act, 2018, to regulate the price of sugarcane purchased by sugar factories from farmers in the State, as per the revenue sharing price fixation model from the current season as announced during the 2018-19 budget. When the Bill was taken up for consideration, DMK MLA Durai. Chandrasekaran (Tiruvaiyaru) said though there were farmers in the Board, they were not present in the audit cell, which determined the sugarcane price.
However, Agriculture Minister R. Doraikkannu said this legislation was aimed at benefiting farmers, as it would enable them get ₹200 for a tonne of sugarcane. The Bill was later adopted following a voice vote.
An Act to provide protection and maintenance of the public charitable trusts and endowments, created and administered by persons or organisations of Vanniyakular Kshatriya community in the State was also adopted.
In a debate during the consideration of the Bill, S. Sudharsanam (Madhavaram) pointed out that the Bill did not provide for educational qualification for the candidate to become the Chairman. He urged that many philanthropists from the Vanniyar community had generously contributed for various causes, but several lands were not being maintained. Mr. Sudharsanam insisted that the lands be used for meaningful purposes.
Law Minister C.Ve. Shanmugam said the legislation was only to give more powers to the Board like the Waqf Board and State government officers would be members of the Board.
When DMK whip R. Sakkarapani sought to speak again before the voice vote, Speaker P. Dhanapal refused. Opposing the refusal to be allowed to speak, Mr. Sakkarapani led the DMK members to stage a walk out. Later, the Bill was adopted by the Assembly, after a voice vote.