NEW DELHI: Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday assured parents and other representatives of students studying in unrecognised private schools in Delhi that such institutions will not face closure. The education minister’s assurance came after the Delhi government’s Directorate of Education (DOE) identified 700 such unrecognised private schools that violate the provisions laid down in the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009.
“I met representatives of non-recognised private schools. I told them that no school will be closed in Delhi. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi will not be allowed to close any school. The Delhi government believes in opening schools and not closing them,” Sisodia tweeted after meeting representatives from the unrecognised schools.
As per data from Delhi State Public Schools Management Association, there are around 3,000 unrecognised schools in Delhi, enrolling nearly 10 lakh students a year. When RTE was implemented, schools not recognised by the government were given time until 2013 for closure. In May last year, the DoE had given the schools a final opportunity to seek recognition or stop classes.
“I want to tell the parents and teachers of the children studying in these schools that you should not worry. All these schools come under the BJP-ruled municipal corporation. The government will not allow the municipal corporation to close any school” added Sisodia.
Illegal but popular
In spite of their illegal status, many non-recognised schools are popular for various reasons, including easy accessibility, affordability and endorsement through word of mouth.