Warning bells have started ringing for those who run unauthorised schools. The Public Instructions Department, this time, is firm on declaring illegal educational institutions much ahead of the new academic year, thus to prevent parents and children of getting entangled in a fix in the later stage.

Block Education Officers (BEOs) and special committees have started gathering statistics of unauthorised schools in Dakshina Kannada as per the instructions of the Public Instructions Department.

A list of such institutions will be made public by the end of March.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Deputy Director of Public Instructions (DDPI) C Chame Gowda said all BEOs had been asked to prepare a list of such schools under their purview, while special committees have almost finalised their survey reports, and the list would be out within a week.

It can be remembered here that the ticklish issue of unauthorised schools resulted in the suspension of the immediate past DDPI and all BEOs last year. They had been charged by the Public Instructions Department of submitting wrong reports in connection with the schools violating language regulations. The district heads are more cautious this time.

Mr Chame Gowda said special committees were making spot inspections to verify the facts regarding certain people/institutions who have applied for starting new schools, both in English and Kannada medium.

The committees will verify the parameters instructed by the Department (see the box) and give a report stating whether the institution applied is eligible or not, he said.

Each committee comprises of four members: one representative each from College for Teachers’ Education, District Institute for Educational Training, an experienced head teacher and an executive (nodal) officer.

“There are over 15 applications to begin fresh schools in the district. We have made it clear to them that until they get the final approval from the government, they are not eligible to run the schools and they are considered as unauthorised,” he added.

Including the institutions declared unauthorised for language policy violation, all illegal schools will be put in a list and the public will be appealed not to take their children to such institutions in the new academic year, Mr Gowda stated.

CRITERIA FOR ELIGIBILITY

The special committee will give a positive or negative report regarding a school on the basis of the parameters shown by the Public Instructions Department. Fulfilment of each criterion will fetch certain marks too. Those institutions securing 60 or more marks may be considered eligible, according to the DDPI. Here is a list of criteria and respective marks allotted:

*3 rooms of 400 sq ft for classes   40
* Separate rooms for HM and staff 06
* Library and books     03
* Sports room              03 
*Laboratory    03
* 2 toilets, 5 urinals for girls     08
*2 toilets, 6 urinals for boys      07
* Water tank          10
* Furniture, board   10
*Teaching aid    05
* Play ground    05