Schools fail to follow RTE rules, denied NOC

Somdatta Basu | TNN | Dec 22, 2017, KOLKATA: The school education department on Thursday rejected no-objection certificate (NOC) applications of six private schools for not complying with the rules laid down in the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Act), 2009. One among the six was asked to refurnish the fire safety certificate.

In another step, the government has also stopped issuing provisional NOCs. Each school is now being offered permanent NOC and recognition certificate.

"The government wants to stop mushrooming of English-medium schools that have taken a toll on the Bengali medium schools as well as government-aided and government-sponsored schools, affiliated to the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education," said a source in school education secretariat at Bikash Bhavan.

The source added: "The deprtment is alarmed over many private schools not maintaining the requisite parameters, as a result of which, the quality of education imparted by them is not meeting standard. Parents, however, try to enroll their kids in these schools, since the medium of instruction there is English. It is because of this concern the government is tightening its leash over private schools seeking NOCs."

The department has put a stop on issuing of provisional certificates. "Even six months back, schools were given NOCs for a year and later, a team would inspect the school and authorities would apply afresh and then receive the permanent NOCs and registration. But now, the government has cut down on the hassle. Schools are being given a single time permanent NOCs as well as recognition only if they are meeting the prescribed formula," explained the source.

Among some of the parameters which are being emphasized by the government includes - the school having sufficient fire safety equipment and having trained person among the staff for using fire safety equipment, the schools will have classrooms of an minimum area of 400 sq ft (25 ft. X16 ft.) each. The institutes will have to have good quality of separate lavatory for students and teachers and good quality of separate lavatory for girls students, if it is a coeducation school.