BENGALURU: Headteachers of private unaided schools are given a week's time to provide transfer certificates to parents seeking to transfer their children to other schools. In case these schools fail to do so, parents can submit a letter to the local education official. The official will then send a letter to the school administration to provide the TC in a week's time. In case the school fails to do the same, the official is asked to take action as per law against the school administration and principal and ensure the child is not out of academic activities. Action will also be taken as per the Karnataka Education Act 1983.
The order from the commissioner of Public Instruction Vishal R comes in the wake of parents withdrawing their children from private unaided schools, due to economic difficulties, to aided or government or other schools, and private unaided schools denying them the transfer certificates to shift the child to the other school. The commissioner observed that such students are in a panic about their academic progress. The academic year 2021-22 has been half completed, and children have been out of academic activities because they are not formally admitted to their new school, he observed, adding that as per the law, students should be given the transfer certificate in 15 days of seeking it.
Educationist Niranjanaradhya VP said welcomed the order by the department to initiate action against erring private schools that are delaying TC's, as a bold step to uphold the children's fundamental right to education. He added that it is important to implement the order in letter and spirit to help the parents continue their children's education in aided and government schools as a result of the catastrophe due to COVID19.
The department's order has conjured sharp criticism from private schools. Riyaz SK, a private school administrator said that the government order was against the rights of the private schools and the education system will collapse as most of the migrations are for budget schools which run on monthly and quarterly fee.
Shashi Kumar, General Secretary, Association of Management of Primary and Secondary Schools of Karnataka (KAMS) said the order, which enables local education officials to provide TC's, criminal. "It has given way to corruption by officials. To exempt parents from paying fees in their current school, TC's are being demanded saying we cannot pay fees. If officials provide the TC, it will be a violation of the rules for private educational institutes."
He threatened strong protest from private schools and that they would seek legal redressal in case this order is not reversed.