Dist has 205 unrecognized play schools

Coimbatore: The district school education department has found that 205 private play schools and 40 private nursery and primary schools were functioning in its jurisdiction without permission.
The department, which has complied the list of unrecognized private schools, said four matriculation and 14 private CBSE schools were also functioning without recognition in its jurisdiction. Three of the matriculation schools and all the 14 CBSE schools have, however, submitted forms to the chief education office seeking recognition.
When contacted, chief education officer R Murugan said they would scrutinize the forms submitted by the unrecognized matriculation schools and take a call on granting them recognition. Asked about the play schools and the nursery and primary schools, he said they would form a team to conduct inspections at those schools and take appropriate action.
District collector K Rajamani said the list of unrecognized schools was ready and the chief education office would send notices to the schools, asking them to get recognition. “If they fail to comply within a specific time frame, the same would be brought to my notice and the schools would be sealed. This procedure would take around three months.”
A source with the school education department said while a majority of matriculation schools were in compliance with the rules, a whopping number of private play schools and nursery schools were functioning without any scant regard for the same. “At times, only when we visit certain areas that we get to know that such and such play schools are functioning there,” the source said.
The directorate of school education had earlier this year directed chief education offices to prepare the list of unrecognized schools in the districts within April 23. Following this, officials were give May 29 deadline to identify unrecognized schools, stick notices in front of them revealing their status to the public and inform the same to the district collector for actions to be taken. They were also asked to publicize the list of unrecognized schools.