Karnataka: `Parents must find alternative schools'

[Harold F. Schiffman]

Date:10/11/2006 URL:
http://www.thehindu.com/2006/11/10/stories/2006111022610400.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

`Parents must find alternative schools'

Special Correspondent

Parents given time to make arrangements: Horatti

A meeting of officials to be called to discuss the issue Association cites
provision, says parents need not worry

Bangalore: With Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Basavaraj
Horatti saying that the Government is not responsible for shifting the
students of 2,011 schools that have been derecognised, parents have now
begun to worry about the fate of their wards. The Minister told
presspersons on Thursday that there was no change in the Government's
decision to shutdown 2,011 schools that had violated relevant rules by
switching over to English medium, although they were permitted to run the
schools in Kannada medium.

The parents, who had admitted their wards in these schools, would have to
shift them to other recognised schools from next year, he said. "It is the
duty of the parents to identify schools for admission of their wards," he
said. A meeting of the officials of the Education Department would be
called to discuss the problems to be faced while shifting children to
recognised schools. The issue would be discussed at the Cabinet meeting,
Mr. Horatti said. He said since the decision to derecognise the schools
had been deferred till the end of the academic year, parents had ample
time to find schools for their wards.

Constitutional provision

G.S. Sharma, president of Karnataka (Recognised) Unaided School
Managements' Association (KUSMA), told The Hindu that the Constitution had
a provision which gave an organisation/association the right to run an
educational institution without recognition up to eighth standard. He said
that a child could join any school without a transfer certificate, up to
the eighth standard. "When this is the case, parents need not feel anxious
about admitting their wards in recognised schools," he said. Mr. Sharma
said the department should create awareness among parents in this regard.

The department had derecognised the schools during the second week of
September for violating the Language Policy of 1994, according to which
the medium of instruction should either be in Kannada or in the mother
tongue. The schools had given an undertaking in this regard. When the move
received Opposition from various quarters, the Minister assured the
parents that the Government and the officials of the department would make
sure that each child from the derecognised schools was admitted to
government aided and unaided schools in the vicinity. The Minister has now
said that the parents would have to look for alternative schools for their
wards and the Government would not get into the issue.

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