The Madras High Court today closed a PIL seeking a direction to authorities to shut unrecognised private schools after the Tamil Nadu education department informed 746 such schools had only been given a one-time temporary recognition.
In a counter-affidavit to the PIL, the School Education Department submitted that the schools had been given temporary recognition till May 31 as a one-time measure pending final decision to be taken by the government on the report submitted by the expert committee set up to look into the norms governing the schools.
Taking note of the counter, first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M M Sundresh said it had been stated that there was no chance of further extension as the temporary recognition was only a one-time measure.
"On our query, this position is once again affirmed by the counsel for the government, on instructions from Superintendent, Director of Matriculation Schools, K Venkatesan who was present in the court. We take afore said on record and close the PIL," the bench said.
The PIL was filed by NGO Change India, seeking to forbear the Education Department from granting recognition to schools, which fail to meet the norms specified by the school education department vide several Government Orders and the Supreme Court judgment and to close down all such unrecognised institutions.
It was filed consequent to the tragic death of 94 children in a fire accident in a nursery school on July 16, 2004 in Kumakonam, which had brought to fore lack of safety aspects in such schools functioning in cramped locations.
Counsel for the government submitted that the expert committee had been constituted on March 5, 2013 under the chairmanship of Director of School Education, for fixing the minimum land requirements of private schools.
He further submitted that the opinion of the Heads of the Department on the recommendations of the Committee has been sought, which is yet to be received and it was further affirmed that on receipt of the same, it will be suitably acted upon by the government.
