Another eleventh-hour GR leaves schools baffled

State asks schools to conduct cultural events marking 75th anniversary of legislative assembly; schools say government failed to give prior notice

Another eleventh-hour GR leaves schools baffled

State asks schools to conduct cultural events marking 75th anniversary of legislative assembly; schools say government failed to give prior notice

There is no dearth of government resolutions being issued by the state; but checking if they are being adhered to, is not a matter the state deems it necessary to concern itself with. Most school principals griped about the government's proclivity to issue GRs, but doing precious little about hauling up schools who violate them.

Diktat? The new GR categorically states that all schools, whether private
or government-run, have to compulsorily carry out cultural programmes.
Representation pic

What's worse; school education officials say there is no provision to take action against errant schools.
The latest to irk school principals was the GR that was sent yesterday asking schools to hold cultural events and essay competitions today (July 19), to mark the platinum jubilee of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
Most schools said, far from organising such events, they had not even received the notification.

"No such GR has come to our notice. If we are to organise any events, we should at least be told about it," said Kamini Saxena, principal of Kalmadi Shamrao Primary School. Lily Patel, principal of Sardar Dastur Boys High School, too confirmed that they hadn't received the GR copy. "We do check the government website from time-to-time to keep ourselves updated, but we haven't noticed this GR. Nor have the government authorities sent it to us. Now, it won't be possible to organize this event as we need to inform students and teachers about topics for essay competition, take list of interested students and chart out the timings. The organising takes at least two to three days," she said.

This GR specifically states that all kinds of schools whether private or government-run have to compulsorily carry out these programmes. The GR states that on July 19, schools must organise essay and public-speaking competitions. Besides that, schools and colleges are expected to conduct year-long events around this theme.
Meena Chandavarkar, principal of New India School, said that the events were simple and could be organised, but it should have been notified in advance.

"It's not all that difficult. But the government has a penchant for last-minute GRs which should stop," she said.
M R Kadam, primary education officer, didn't know the details of the latest GR. "It must have come to our office but I haven't read it properly. It will be sent out to all local offices, who will then forward it to schools," he said.

Past GRs
> Recently a GR issued by school education department said all schools should uniformly open on June 15. But even after getting a list of schools that opened on June 13, the education officers said no action would be taken against such institutions, which rendered the GR useless.

> Between May 2010 and August 2010, the school education department came out with GRs on fee hikes, each one turning the last on its head. Even when asked about a GR on private unaided schools not being able to hike their fees without parents' consent in August 2010, the education minister had said he wasn't sure if the GR was completely applicable. No action was taken against a single school that violated norms mentioned in GR on fee hikes during this period.

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