Tamil Nadu govt to monitor schools for holiday order breach

Facing a torrent of complaints that many private schools were violating official orders on half-yearly holidays and special classes, the State government has decided to monitor all such institutions in the State.

A senior official from the School Education Department told DT Next that it has received complaints that many private schools have not declared half-yearly holidays, which is a violation of an order issued by the department and were instead conducting special classes to complete the portions.

Another set of complaints charged several schools of forcing children were forced to appear for online classes, he added.

It is mandatory for all schools, including private institutions, to strictly follow the government orders issued by the School Education Department. This includes the recent order declaring one-week Christmas and New Year holidays, said the official.

All district education officers were instructed to monitor private schools to ensure that they strictly adhered to the government notifications.

“Strict action, including cancellation of government approval as per Tamil Nadu Private Schools (Regulation) Act, 2018, will be taken against the private schools that are found violating official orders continuously,” he said.

“The monitoring of schools will be further intensified and the respective district education officials will submit reports every week.

There would also be surprise inspection to check whether the school managements are indulging in any violation,” the official added.

Admitting that there were also complaints that some private schools were forcing parents to pay the fees that is over and above the prescribed limit, he said officials would ensure that unaided schools have only collected 85 per cent of the fee fixed by the Fees Fixation Committee in six instalments from the salaried sector, professionals and businesspersons, and 75 per cent from the parents who suffered the loss of income due to the pandemic lockdown.

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