JK High Court for clear policy and rules on private schools

Srinagar, June 2 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has given two months time to the government to formulate a clear policy and rules for establishment of private schools in the state.

A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Bashir Ahmed Khan and Justice Bashir Ahmed Kirmani, directed the authorities to fix new parameters for inspection of the existing schools.

The court asked the government to formulate a policy for regulating private schools in the state and to have a fresh look on the School Education Act of 2002 to examine if it was ''good enough'' to serve the purpose.

The bench expressed surprise over the ignorance or inaction by the authorities concerned to implement provisions of the Act which required prior permission for establishing a private school and recognition to enable it to function.

It noted that the authorities had not even ''bothered'' to issue requisite notifications or appropriate rules for enforcement of the Act which could have regulated establishment of private schools in the state. The law in force for more than three years now had allowed a ''mushroom growth'' of private schools which resulted in a ''free for all'' situation, the court observed.

It also took note of complaints about recruitment and service condition of teachers in private schools and directed the government to consider this aspect and evolve a recruitment policy for teachers working in these schools.

The bench also directed for providing better service conditions to save the qualified and educated youth from exploitation.

The court was informed that the management of private schools was preventing the Education Department officials from conducting inspection. The bench took a series note of this and directed all school management to allow periodical academic inspections by the authorities failing which action would be taken against them under law for non-compliance of court orders.

The bench also directed the Education Department to explore if same pattern of uniform could be prescribed for all private schools to benefit the children.

UNI AG SHB RAI1841