Pvt schools violate govt order, conduct admission process

Coimbatore: Despite repeated warnings and even after a school was sealed in the city for conducting entrance exam during the lockdown period, private schools continue to violate the state’s orders by conducting admission process, distributing books, and collecting fees.
On Wednesday, a private school in R S Pram conducted admission process. Parents were seen getting application forms and challans and inquiring about the fee. A personnel from the school told TOI that an LKG seat — including the fee, capitation fee, books and uniform price — will cost Rs 52,000.
When informed, Coimbatore collector K Rajamani said he will instruct the officials concerned to investigate.
Chief education officer P Usha also promised to look into the issue. She said no schools were given permission to function or give admission during the lockdown period. “We had instructed schools not to conduct Class XI admission process as there are no guidelines from the state.”
Complaints also surfaced about several private schools distributing books and asking parents to pay fee.
Parents said that a private school in Podanur had not conducted quarterly or half-yearly exams, depending on the marks of which the state had asked schools to give 80% marks for Class X students being promoted this year. However, the principal said they had conducted both the exams and the allegations were baseless. She also showed the marksheets of both the exams.
Collector Rajamani said he had convened a meeting with officials of the school education department on Thursday to discuss about private schools demanding fees and other such violations. “We will tighten our grip on private schools that violate the state’s order,” he told TOI.