100 Non-Govt aided schools now becomes Govt sponsored

KalimNews, Kalimpong, 30 October 2013: Most of the government recognised secondary schools of Siliguri in the district of Darjeeling under Directorate of school education have been to converted into Government sponsored schools. 

Of the 104 recognised non-government aided secondary and higher secondary schools in the jurisdiction of DI of Schools of Siliguri have now been granted the status of recognised government sponsored secondary schools. 

Only the schools under special constitution run by minority, religious organisations didnot opt for the Government sponsored category.

These government sponsored schools will now be in complete control of the state government said Sanjeev Ghosh DI of Schools. 

All the schools were asked to apply in prescribed option form for the said conversion and finally their applications were approved by the School Education Department Secondary Branch . It was stated in the government memo that government is exploring the option of converting the status of willing schools from existing "Non-Govt Aided Status" to "Govt. sponsored Status" to enable extension of facilities for development of those schools by bringing them under purview of programmes like "Rastriya Madhyamik Shiksha Aviyan".

69 schools opted for the sponsored category and the same will be granted to other 31 junior high schools. The managing committee of these schools will not have the provision of election of guardians but will have maximum number of members as government nominees. Till the formation of the new committee the present committee will run the school management.The government order vide notification No. 1-7395/RMSA/SL/5S-264/12 dt. 30.09.2013 , it is stated that "the existing Managing Committee will remain in function till the new committee for the Sponsored School according to the Management Rules for Management of Sponsored institution (Secondary), 1972 would be constituted.
A government order in this respect has stated that State Government may be forced not to take any responsibility for providing infrastructural support, maintaining PTR etc. to those unwilling Recognised Non-Government Aided Secondary Schools who do not wish to convert themselves to Government Sponsored Schools. Moreover, the State Government may reserve the option of stoppage of grant-in-aid and withdrawal of approved teaching and non-teaching staff from those aided schools.
It is expected that the schools will be facilitated with more grants under Rashtriya Madhyamik Siksha Abhiyan project and the security of the staff will be more in the sponsored category.
Government Schools 
So far the schools of Darjeeling hills (DI of schools hill area) under GTA has not yet submitted their option and there will be delay regarding inclusion of these schools under RMSA. Since the formation of DGHC and GTA too all governmental schemes and provisions are always delayed in the schools of hill areas due to obvious reasons, ignorance of the state and least concern and negligence of the schools as well as concerned officials and political interference, an official stated.