Teaching, non-teaching staff, principals and owners of over 40 city schools that are part of Association of Progressive Schools (AoPS) will wear black dresses and tie a black ribbon on their arms to observe 'Black Day' on Thursday.
It comes in the wake of the nation-wide call by National Independent Schools Alliance (NISA) to ensure free and conducive working environment in schools that are part of AoPS and create awareness regarding contribution of private unaided schools to education and their current circumstances induced by the RTE Act. It comes after NISA's country-wide survey that pointed at 7,349 schools shutting in Maharashtra over last four years due to the RTE Act.
Manan Choksi, co-founder and secretary of AoPS, said, "Recently, there is too much government interference and instead of focusing on education, it is focusing on non-academic issues. Hence, we have decided to support the call."
A statement by AoPS said, "Since private schools are autonomous and non-profit making, these kind of intervention is not acceptable. However, the protest will not compromise on the safety or education of students in any way."
Liza Shah, director of Apple Global school, said, "The government needs to keep faith in private schools as we are trying to improve the level of education."
A trustee of a school requesting anonymity said, "We are facing a lot of issues from the state government. This is just a silent and non-violent protest against avoidable interference by the government."
OBSTACLES
- Regulatory act which stipulates how much schools should charge irrespective of the facilities given to students.
- Child safety rules such as biometrics and character verification of all employees came as a sudden reaction to the Ryan School incident
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