The school education department is in process of preparing a government SRO to regulate the kindergarten admission in the private schools across J&K UT.
Talking to Greater Kashmir, Principal Secretary School Education Department (SED), Bishwajit Kumar Singh said the SRO will come into effect by the end of this month by which the government will be able to regulate the kindergarten admission in private schools.
“We are in the process of preparing a government SRO to regulate the kindergarten admission in private schools in line with NEP-2020. The SRO will be implemented by the end of this month,” he said.
The statement comes in wake of the complaints against few private schools particularly in north Kashmir where the admission process has already started or the registration has been kept open in violation of the government order.
As per the order issued in September last year, the admission process in JKBOSE affiliated private schools in ember followed by receipt of application forms from parents in Kashmir and winter zone Jammu should start from 3rd week of Sept the last week of September.
“Finalization of selection and displaying list of selected students and waiting list should be done by October 10,” the order reads. The collection of fees has to be done by October 20.
The Saint Joseph’s Higher Secondary School (HSS) Baramulla has kept the admission registration open from September 6 to 8 while the newly established G D Goenka Baramulla already started the kindergarten admission in August.
The principal of the Saint Joseph’s HSS Antony Peppin refused to comment over the issue on phone and asked this reporter to visit the school to “sort out the issue.”
A school functionary said the registration was started for the benefit of the parents to prepare the date of birth certificates of their child. “It is only the registration process but the rest of the admission will be done in September-October month. If need arises, the school will open the registration link in September 3rd week for the left out parents,” he said.
A school functionary at G D Goenka also refused to comment on the issue over phone. “You can come to the school,” he said.
The regulation of KG admission in private schools is necessary as per NEP. “All CBSE and JK BOSE schools have to follow a uniform admission calendar for kindergarten,” Singh said.
When asked if some schools have already started registration he said the matter will be looked into. “I will try to get these schools to open the registration again,” he said.
Notably the G D Goenka Baramulla started admission for its first batch of students this year. However, the parents of kids complained that the school was charging a whopping amount as donation without giving any receipt against the payment. The parents said the school was not accepting any online transaction as well.
“They only accept cash payment to avoid any government action,” a parent said.
Meanwhile a school functionary when asked about the donations, responded by asking the reporter to visit the school to check the records.
“You can come to the school to check the school record,” he said.
Notably there is no evidence against the school for collecting the donation as the management does not provide any receipt or accept the online transaction.
The matter of fact is that the school education Act 2002 (Amended in 2018), is silent on kindergarten admissions.
However, as per the New Education Policy (NEP)-2020, the regulation of kindergarten admission in schools has become mandatory.