City schools to be inspected for rule violations

The Department of Public Instructions (DPI) will start an inspection drive of schools in the City to check possible violation of rules while setting up such institutions, and the authenticity of their affiliation, following the sexual assault of a minor girl in a school that had flouted a number of rules.

“I have been told that there are a number of organisations in the City which may have got permission for only 10 schools but start 25 of them. There is, therefore, the need to find the antecedents of such schools,” said Public Instruction Commissioner Mohammed Mohsin. 

“We will start with Bangalore, as there have been reports of a number of schools which have fleeced parents claiming to be affiliated to the CBSE or the ICSE. It is a huge exercise, but we will have to undertake it,” he said.

The drive is likely to be taken up next month after the appointment of a committee consisting of education officials like the Deputy Director Of Public Instructions, block education officers, as well as education experts, organisations and NGOs working in the field of education. They will conduct the drive in particular areas. 

According to the latest District Information System for Education figures, there are as many as 1,717 private unaided schools in Bangalore North and 2,469 in Bangalore South. 

“The exercise may go on for a month in the City as the number of schools is large. However, we have no choice but to undertake it,” said Mohsin. 

Asked how the department would deal with schools that would not allow them to conduct the inspection, Mohsin said: “If schools do not allow education officials and the team conducting the inspection, legal action will be taken against them for obstructing a government official from discharging his or her duty.” 

Last year, education officials had to face opposition and non-cooperation from a number of private schools during the conduct of the out-of-school children’s survey.