28 schools termed illegal, thousands to suffer

The state government has marked 28 schools in the western suburbs illegal. Education inspector for the western region PR Pawar declared a list of 28 English, Marathi and Hindi medium schools which had come up in past four to five years and were being run without taking permission from the government. Of the 28 schools, 23 are English medium schools from Malad, Goregaon, Jogeshwari and Kandivli. The list includes Om Sai Vidhyamandir, Students Academy school, Utkarsh Marathi school, Sir DS School, Sir JR School, Holy Mother School, AM High School, Rose Mary School, Saraswati Vidhyamandir (all in Malad), Sharda Vidhyamandir, Tohin High School, St Maria School, Sai Academy School, Shivshakti Vidhyalaya, Bright Light High School (all in Kandivli), Young Indian School, Jogeshwari, Ismail High School, Andheri, DVM High School, Kandivli, and Mother Mercy, Borivli. 

Pawar said that as the managements of these schools failed to seek permission from the government despite repeated notices, the schools have been announced as illegal. “The schools were being run for the past few years; those conducting classes of Std 8 and above come under our jurisdiction. The primary section is the responsibility of the BMC. Since the schools have failed to secure official permission from the education department, we had to announce them illegal,” he said.   

He added that the department has taken the responsibility of admission of the students enrolled in these schools. “We will adjust the students in the nearby authorised schools. In many cases, the parents do even not realise that their children are attending an illegal school. We will ensure that the students do not lose their academic year,” he added. 

Another official said that the schools that have already applied could be considered for permission post-facto, but in the case of the rest, it was difficult to let them conduct classes.