In Gujarat, about 40,000 pre-primary schools stayed closed on Tuesday in protest of the state government’s new regulations.
In addition to presenting their case to Education Minister Kuber Dindor and Minister of State for Education Praful Pansheriya on Tuesday, the pre-primary school owners and management have threatened to travel to Gandhinagar to demonstrate later this month if their requests are not fulfilled.
Rajesh Parikh, Gujarat Independent Pre-school Association (Proposed) Ahmedabad zone coordinator, told to a media publication, “We were to protest in Gandhinagar today but since we did not get permission… we carried out our protest city and zone-wise by remaining closed, and through rallies. Since the deadline to adhere to the new policy and get registered ends in February 2025, we have asked for clarity and time for the paper work”.
Among the three major demands raised by pre-primary school owners is clarity on Building-Use (BU) permission. “BU permission lacks clarity. While the education department says we can submit any BU — commercial, residential or education – the municipal corporation is mandating only education BU,” Parikh added.
Notably, the majority of the state’s private, independent pre-primary schools operate without a registration.
Parikh continued, “Among our other demands is relaxation in the clause for a 15-year lease agreement with stamp duty for the property. Since 80 per cent pre-primary schools in Gujarat are running out of rented properties, which owner will be able to get a stamped paper on a 15-year lease agreement? Also, the formation of a trust will require account audit every year, resulting in additional charges”.
The pre-primary school association’s spokesperson, Sagar Nayak, told The Indian Express that since April, the group has been requesting a relaxation of the rules in its submissions to the state government.
Following suggestions from the state-level task force committee led by the education minister and stakeholders, the Policy for Regulation of Non-Grant-in-Aid Private Pre-primary Education Institutes for the State of Gujarat was notified on May 15, 2023, with the Director, Primary Education being designated as the Gujarat State Pre-primary Regulatory Authority.
School education was restructured as a result of the policy’s execution of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Existing institutions were required by the policy to register within a year. The deadline has been moved to February 2025.
Institutions, trusts, organizations, businesses, or any other non-governmental organization that provides early childhood or pre-primary education to Gujarati children aged three to six are covered by the policy.
A copy of the society, business, or trust’s certificate of registration and a copy of the resolution that the same society, company, or trust passed to open the institute are required papers to be uploaded with the online application for registration.
Along with a fire safety certificate, the institutes must provide a copy of the building regularization order or BU license granted by the relevant revenue body.
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