JK to formulate policy for pvt schools

Srinagar, June 3: Concerned over the mushrooming growth of private educational institutions and service conditions of teachers working there, 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 asked the government to take a fresh look at the School Education Act of 2002 and come with full details about the Act if it was good enough to serve the purpose.

The court directed the authorities to fix new parameters for inspection of the existing schools.

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 is in force for more than three years now but the concerned authorities had allowed private schools to mushroom which resulted in a free-for-all situation, the court observed.

The court also took note of complaints about recruitment and service conditions 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 serious note of this and directed all school managements 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