Preliminary data from the department of school education and literacy has deemed 1,316 schools in the state as having issues with regulation and registration requirements.
The department, however is yet to issue a final report in this regard. Initial reports have concluded that 63 schools have no recognition, 74 have started higher classes without permission. As many as 95 schools have permission to run only state syllabus schools, but are running on the pretext of CBSE/CISCE schools.
It maybe recollected that last month, parents sat on protest against Orchids International School that claimed to offer CBSE syllabus at the time of admission but taught students from state syllabus textbooks.
In the other categories, as many as 620 schools have been identified as defaulters for starting additional sections.
Atleast 294 schools have been offering education in a different medium of instruction as registered with the government while141 schools have been identified for shifting the schools without getting permission.
The Association of primary and secondary schools of Karnataka has taken objection to this list claiming that the details have been made available to the department from the start.
“We have updated every data on the SATS website punctually. Every year, the department used to allot students under the Right to Education quota to these schools. Why did authorities wake up suddenly to the fact that these schools are illegal?” questioned D Shashi Kumar, secretary, KAMS.
Sources in the school education department, however, clarified that the investigations began after the Orchids school incident came to light. However, the numbers that are being shared by private schools is not conclusive yet.
Meanwhile, Lokesh T, president, RUPSA has called for the government to act against corrupt officials who have thus far allowed the functioning of these schools.
“Our association welcomes the department’s initiative to identify the illegal schools and those schools which are not adhering to terms of registration. However, we also wish to reiterate about the previous memorandum we had submitted to chief minister Basavaraj Bommai about rampant corruption in the department. All these schools have been functioning for years right under the nose of corrupt education department officials who have made way for it. They must be identified and taken to task,” he added.
