Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Hazards of studying in unrecognized school – Crescent school detains Nauman in Class VIII


ALL INDIA PARENTS ASSOCIATION Aggarwal Bhawan, G. T. Road, Tis Hazari, Delhi -110054 M- 09811101923, 9810133325 02/04/2013 To Prof. Ms. Kiran Walia Education Minister Government of NCT of Delhi Delhi Secretariat, I.P. Estate New Delhi-110002 Sub: Hazards of studying in unrecognized school – Crescent school detains Nauman in Class VIII Dear Madam, Due to laxity on the part of the Government of NCT of Delhi, the unrecognized private schools in Delhi are exploiting the hapless parents and the students. Nauman, who has studied in class VIII in Crescent School, Near Seelam Pur Road, Mauj Pur, Delhi-110053 (Phone – 011-22185250) in the academic year 2012-13 is a case in point. His father, Shri Nadeem Ahmed r/o House No. 1021, Gali No.32, Jafrabad, Seelampur, Delhi (Mob.9811253378) has approached me today with a written complaint, stating that his son Nauman was admitted in the Crescent School, in the academic year 2011-12 in Class VII based on a Transfer Certificate having been issued by a recognised school. He has also paid hefty fees under various heads to the school. At the time of the admission, he was not aware that the Crescent School is an unrecognized school. The school is run from nursery to class VIII. His son was promoted to class VIII in the academic year 2012-13 and has regularly attended his classes. Now, when he has approached the school for Annual Report Card, the school issued him the Annual Report Card thereby detaining his son in Class VIII. On questioning as to how the school could detain his son in Class VIII despite the RTE Act, 2009, the school told him that they could do so as the school was an unrecognized school. He was shocked to know that the school was an unrecognized one. It is submitted that Shri Nadeem Ahmed, thereafter, approached the Deputy Director of Education, N-E District with a written complaint dated 01.04.2013 requesting for initiating appropriate action against the school. As no action was taken by the DDE, he has approached me with a request to help the victimized student saying that the school has cheated him and his son. Copies of complaints are enclosed. It is submitted that the mushrooming unrecognized schools are really playing with the careers of the young students by misrepresenting to their parents as being recognised schools. The most unfortunate part is that despite clear directions to the Government of NCT of Delhi by the Hon’ble Delhi High Court way back on 08.02.2008 in Social Jurist PIL [W.P.(C) No.43/2006] to ensure that no unrecognized school is allowed to be run, no step has been taken by the government in this direction. The unrecognized schools were given 6 months time by the Hon’ble High Court to either obtain recognition from the Directorate of Education or to get closed. This order was in respect of all the schools run from pre-primary and onwards. I have no hesitation to say the Government under the influence of the private schools’ lobby deliberately did not implement the decision of the Hon’ble High Court. In the meanwhile, the RTE Act, 2009 came into force from 01.04.2010, which gave a breathing period of 3 years to all the unrecognized schools to obtain recognition by 31.03.2013 or get closed. It is further worth pointing out that the Hon’ble Delhi High Court’s order dated 08.02.2008 in Social Jurist PIL [W.P.(C) No.43/2006] covered all schools, including pre-primary schools. However, in clear disregard of the same, the Directorate of Education, Act-I branch, vide public notice appearing in the Times of India newspaper on 26.03.2013 has given unrecognized pre-primary schools a free hand to continue to run without obtaining any recognition from the Directorate of Education, which tantamount to contempt of the Hon’ble Delhi High Court. It is submitted that the Crescent School has literally played a fraud not only with Nauman but also with other similarly placed students. All such mal-practices are going on with the active connivance of the education authorities. Despite the fact that the Hon’ble Supreme Court in its Judgment dated 12.04.2012 in Society of Unaided Private Schools of Rajasthan Vs. Union of India has held that the RTE Act, 2009 is child-centric and not institutional-centric, the Government is protecting the undue interests of these mushrooming illegal, unsafe, unjust and unrecognized schools by totally ignoring the interests of the children. In my firm opinion such schools are merely child labour breeding centres. You are therefore requested to look into this matter on urgent basis and take appropriate action against the erring school. You are further requested not to allow even the unrecognized pre-primary schools to run any further. With regards, Ashok Agarwal, Advocate National President, AIPA M-09811101923

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