Make admission forms available online: DM directs Pvt schools ‘Nobody will be allowed to take people fora ride’ SYED IMRAN ALI HAMDANI Srinagar, June 12: Taking serious note publiccomplaints that leading English medium schools in the City were taking parents for a ride because of “self-styled diktats”, the District Magistrate Srinagar Er Farooq AhmedShah Wednesday directed educational institutions to adhere to “code of conduct aspermitted by the government or else strict action will be initiated against the offenders.” Those violating the directives arefeared to face cancellation of their recognition by government. In a significant development, the DM directed these schools to keep their admission forms available online so that the “parents don’t have to face inconvenience waiting in unending queues where only a selected few were allowed to submit the applications.” It is for the first time that some official has responded so promptly to the appeals of theparent community. Even in the ‘90s when nocturnal curfew would be in force, parents would often spend their nights out in open outside schools waiting for their turn to get the admission forms. THE MEETING Officials said leading schools including Presentation Convent Higher Secondary School, Raj Bagh, Burn Hall School Sonawar, the Tyndale and Biscoe and Malison Girls School, Iqbal Memorial Institute, and the British School had been directed to appear before the District Magistrate. The Chief Education Officer Srinagar Nazir Ahmed Kanth was also present in the meeting. Sources privy to the meeting said the parentcommunity had sent memorandums to the DM pleading that the schools had been taking them for ride and were “brazenly misusing the fame these institutions have earned in the past years.” The DM picked up public concerns ranging from “heavy schoolbags to marathon homework” given to the children while the issue of frequent change of uniforms was also discussed. Prompted by public complaints of indiscipline during school picnics and camps, the Er Shah directed the educational institutions to “maintain proper code of conduct.” He also cautioned the schools that their cabs should not run on deadly LPG cylinders, come what may. The official also raised the issue that girl students were not being allowed to go to washrooms for long hours, as complained by the parents. The DM directed the schools to hold regular “parent teacher meetings so that problems ifany are solved” even as he sought clarification on “huge building fee being taken without receipts.” The allegedly arbitrary fee hike was also discussed. The schools too put forth their viewpoint during the detailed meeting held at the magistrate’s office chambers. Pleading the complaints that schoolchildren are being asked to procure items like stationery from particular shops, the DM observed: “Nobody is indispensible. Forcing anyone to procure stationery from particularshops will not be allowed.” He also sought effective discipline so that little children don’t face any heckling while coming out of schools. CEO SPEAKS The CEO Srinagar Nazir Ahmed Kanth acknowledged that DM issued directives for smooth conduct of educational activities andthat “nobody be taken for a ride”. “He (DM) highlighted all the complaints which we keep receiving against these schools. Following this face-to-face meeting, there activities will be monitored more closely and if violations come up we are bound to take action, which can even amount to closure(de-recognition of the school),” the official told Greater Kashmir. When contacted, the official spokesman confirmed about the meeting adding that the DM would hold “feedback sessions to see whether or not the directives are being adhered to.”
Posted on: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 02:53:08 +0000
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