New bill for private self-run schools

After introducing the bill for self-financed universities, the state government is initiating another bill for the self-financed or private schools in the state. The school education department intends to bring in fair competition, with an adequate watch to safeguard the public interest.

The state has more than 80,000 primary and secondary Marathi medium schools and most of them are aided. The new Marathi medium schools have not been allotted for last more than four years and cannot be given permission for at least one more year until revised master plan is not finalised. However, the government does not want to avert the private institutions that are interested in starting the self-financed schools. The new Marathi medium schools would be approved on the lines of the permissions given to the English medium schools once the bill was passed.

“We want to encourage the institutions that want to start new schools on their own. For this we are introducing the bill, in monsoon session of the state legislature, allowing self financed schools,” said Rajendra Darda of school education department. “However, the government will keep the powers of authorisation of the schools with it keeping the public interest in mind. The primary go-ahead will be given to the institutions with the adequate infrastructure and manpower. But the authorisation will be given only after a committee of experts from the government approves it on the norms.”

An official from the education department said that the decision about the permission to the 1,700 applications for the permission of the English medium schools, will be taken in next few days.