Government plans to rein in private schools

HYDERABAD: After engineering and medical colleges, the Telangana government is now trying to bring in stringent regulations to rein in private schools located across the city and state.In a circular sent to all school managements across the state, the government has asked owners to provide information starting from student strength to business details like audit reports.Government sources said the decision to collect details is part of a government plan to entertain queries about private schools under the Right to Information Act. While private schools by virtue of being commercially-owned institutions are exempted from the Act, the state government decided to change its stance citing recent ruling by the Bombay High Court on government bodies furnishing information about private schools.Over 4,800 private schools located in and around Hyderabad were asked to send in their details along with 18,000 private schools in all the 10 districts of Telangana.The circular dispatched by the deputy education officers to school managements under their jurisdiction asked authorities to turn in details of fee structure, societies or trusts under which they function. Even provident fund details of employees and details of teaching and non-teaching staff, including their salaries, were sought.School managements were also asked to furnish photographs of student safety mechanisms, which they are mandated to implement, including zebra crossings. Schools are also expected to furnish structural soundness certificate issued by the Public Works Department (PWD). Also asked were civil list (name and details of teachers and students) and details of governing bodies of the schools. Government-aided schools, which function out of government land, were asked to furnish land details.A section of state education department officials said that the measures are meant to bring in more accountability. Once completed, the process will set in motion a series of actions to improve the quality of elementary education in the state, officials said. The government has been doing similar checks in private engineering and medical colleges to the chagrin of those managements.School authorities maintained that the order violates their constitutional rights to run private businesses. Private-Recognised Schools Managements Association has vehemently opposed the move citing a Supreme Court order, which exempts private schools from furnishing such information. District education officer, Hyderabad, Somi Reddy, maintained that the circular was sent on the instruction of government and schools are expected to comply by these norms.“We will not furnish information as we are exempted from RTI queries. If the government collects information, third parties including political outfits can arm-twist school managements,” said Srinivas Reddy, president of the Telangana Recognised Schools Managements Association. The association has categorically asked all schools under its fold not to give out information to the government.