COIMBATORE: Close on the heels of the closure of nursery and elementary schools functioning without approval in Coimbatore district, the Directorate of Matriculation Education has decided to initiate action against close to 50 such Matriculation schools in the State.
Sources in the Directorate of Matriculation Education said that a list of around 50 Matriculation schools functioning without approval from the Directorate would be sent to top authorities of the School Education Department and closed from June. As per the free and compulsory Right to Education Act 2009, every school including matriculation schools, can function only after getting the approval from the Directorate.
Ten days ago, the District Elementary Education Department ordered the closure of 49 nursery and primary schools in Coimbatore which lacked recognition. These schools were functioning either without adequate land or necessary certificates such as fire and safety, sanitation, building licence and stability certificate.
As per norms, schools should have a minimum space of 33 cents in Corporation area, 55 cents in a municipality, one acre in urban areas and three acres in rural areas.
Schools functioning without the necessary approval or after withdrawal of the approval are liable for a fine of `1 lakh and further violation will attract a penalty of `10,000 per day.
Coimbatore Chief Educational Officer A Gnanagowri said, “The RTE Act is applicable to students in the age group of 6 to 11. Matriculation schools too come under the purview of the Act.
Any Matriculation school that is functioning without approval, the necessary clearance from other government departments and not complying the norms with regard to land, should be closed.”
“In Coimbatore district, no school has been found to have violated the norms, but we have recommended closure of one Matriculation school in Nilgiris district,” said another official who was earlier in-charge of Matriculation schools in Coimbatore and Nilgiris districts.