Unrecognized Tamil Nadu schools to be identified before reopening

A decision was taken at a review meeting involving School Education Department authorities in this regard.

A senior official from the Directorate of Matriculation Schools, seeking anonymity, said that the district education officers in all the regions were instructed to identify the unrecognized schools, that are functioning without renewing the recognition certificates in connection with upgradation.

The official pointed out that the private school recognition act lays emphasis on the safety and security of the children and it also proposes to ensure quality education in the self-financing institutions by also ensuring basic minimum standards and norms in schools and regulating the admissions, collection of fees, and conduct of examinations.

Stating that permission will be accorded to the private schools, which fulfill the norms prescribed by the government, he said "due to COVID-19 lockdown, many private schools did not renew the certificate of recognition citing various reasons".

"It makes a mandatory provision prohibiting the educational agency to run the school consequent to withdrawal of recognition", the official said adding "if the schools were found that it was not recognized, all the admissions for the current academic year stands canceled".

The official said that the district education officers were asked to prepare the list of unrecognized schools one week before the school reopening for students studying from the first standard to eighth classes.

He said schools, which do not have recognition, as they did not get the required permission from DTCP (Directorate of Town and Country Planning) or LPA (Local Planning Authority), or CMDA (Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority) could apply for temporary recognition.

"The government's move to give temporary recognition to the private schools considering the future of the students, who recently started their academic year", he said adding "in addition, high and higher secondary schools should need a recognition certificate to send their students for appearing the board exams". EoM