KOLKATA: Management committees and principals of around 200 private, unaided schools across Bengal have decided to join hands and set up an association that will allow the institutions, irrespective of the affiliating boards, to share the problems plaguing their functioning and to safeguard the interest of all stakeholders. The first-of-its-kind association is likely to be named All Bengal Private Schools’ Association.
“We are yet to decide on a name for the platform. Similar associations, set up by school managements, operate in other states, too,” said Rupa Dey, academic director of Angel Group of Schools and principal of Kalyani Public School. “Representatives of the management of private schools and principals will be members of the association. Till now, we have authorities from 200 unaided, private English-medium schools who have expressed their interest to join the forum. Already there are separate associations of schools run by CISCE and CBSE. This platform will be unique because it will comprise management committee members. along with principals, of schools affiliated to various boards, including the state one.”
Not all schools fit the same category. So, a mix of low- and high-fee structured educational institutes will be members of the association. “We need a uniform platform to address the variois problems faced by schools. Though there are teachers’ associations and parents’ associations in every school, there is no common representation of the managements where we can together discuss a plan of action in case of challenges being faced by all of us. We belong to the same fraternity. We should hold hands in need and back one another,” said a principal.
Those who have decided to join the forum hope this platform will safeguard the interest of the schools. “The problems, which has escalated, especially during the pandemic, are a matter of major concern. The issues are similar at each and every school. The trouble centres around fees and is also concerning the maintenance of transport, payment of salary to teachers and staff and expansion of a massive infrastructure for virtual classes that involve a huge cost. Some of the other issues that require deliberation are the measures adopted by schools before reopening the campus to resume physical classes,” said a school principal. He added that there were several prominent schools that had already joined a group that had been formed on a social networking site before the association was formed. . Several principals pointed out that the application process for an NOC, required for the functioning of a school, was smooth but problems cropped up subsequently with third-party involvement. “Despite fulfilling all the criteria for an NCO, there are certain issues that crop up before schools,” said a principal.
Several schools from Kolkata, Siliguri, Durgapur and Behrampore would be part of the association, said Nabarun De, principal and manager of Central Modern School in Baranagar. “The NEP is likely to be implemented but we, as a major stakeholder of private, unaided schools, have not been consulted by the government. From this platform, we want to raise issues and bring to the limelight that our viewpoint should also be taken into consideration. Similar associations are there in other states but, none in Bengal. So we felt the need for setting up one. In Karnataka, such an association has been functioning for the past 38 years. It is high time private, unaided schools in Bengal followed suit. Foreseeing the future, we have to be united,” he said.