BENGALURU: Up to 10,000 private schools catering to poor and middle-class students are on the verge of closing in the state, due to their inability to adhere to safety norms due to lack of proper guidelines. This is also pushing private school associations to appeal to Opposition leaders to help address the issue at the winter assembly session at Belagavi, scheduled to begin on Monday.
The issue includes guidelines from the PWD, such as getting fire and safety certificates within a 10-day deadline. “Even today, lack of proper guidelines by the department paves the way for corrupt officials to make money and issue certificates. The department has become a market for issuing certificates. Unable to tolerate harassment by the department, small and medium schools, including some schools in rural areas and those run by mutts, totalling around 10,000, are on the verge of closing,” said Lokesh Talikatte, president, Recognised Unaided Private Schools’ Association, Karnataka.