Chennai: The first ever inspection drive conducted by school education department to verify infrastructure and other facilities in CBSE schools functioning in the state has found out that more than 40% of schools affiliated to the central board do not have necessary approvals, including building stability, fire safety and sanitary certificates.
“Of 1,000 CBSE schools functioning in the state, the officials found violations and shortcomings in more than 400 schools. The chief educational officers have served the notices to these schools to correct their shortcomings,” sources said.
“Out of 202 schools inspected in the Kancheepuram district, around 80 schools had several violations. In Chennai district, the teams inspected 99 CBSE schools and except for a few schools, many of them had some form of violation,” the district officials said.
As per the Right to Education Act, all the private schools need to get the recognition from the respective governments. “So far, the state government did not insist on getting recognition. So, most of the schools do not get the building stability certificate and building licence certificate, fire safety and sanitary certificates that are mandatory for recognition,” officials who have inspected the schools told this newspaper.
The drive, which was started in March, went on until August this year. The inspection teams had officials from fire and rescue service, health and school education department.
“The inspection teams handed over a questionnaire consisting of 90 questions covering all aspects of the school including building, transport and other facilities. The schools were given time to fill the questionnaire,” a chief educational officer told Deccan Chronicle.
The inspection teams looked for building plan approval, structural stability certificate, public building licence, no objection certificate from the fire and rescue services department and sanitary certificate from the health department. The teams also examined whether the schools had qualified teachers as per NCTE (National Council for Teacher Education) norms.
“Many schools didn't have a no-objection certificate from fire and rescue department and sanitary certificate from health department which is mandatory for recognised private school in the state,” the officer added.
Some chief educational officers have issued notices for closure to the schools which had very poor infrastructures. An official from nearby Chennai district said they have given closure notice to 10 schools. “These schools do not even have basic infrastructure facilities such as classrooms, playground, compound wall and minimum land required by CBSE,” he said.The Central Board of Secondary Education, which is the affiliating authority, has issued circular to all the schools to get the recognition from their respective state governments. “The CBSE itself instructed all schools to get recognition from the respective state governments. The complete administration of schools including infrastructure and safety has come under the state government’s control and CBSE will monitor only the academic aspects and conducting the examination,” a principal from the city school said. The CBSE schools, which used to think of themselves as separate entities, have come under the fold of school education department now.
