March 12, 2013, 12:00 am
CBSE schools in the state have sought clarification from Centre as to whether the state or central government has power over the functioning and syllabus of CBSE schools.
In a memorandum to Human Resource Development minister, Pallam Raju, Kerala CBSE Schools Management Association, which represents 860 Schools affiliated to CBSE in the state have written stating, "In spite of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2011, the previous Kerala government enacted Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Kerala) Rules, 2011 under the Act. The said Rules clearly transgressed into the administrative powers including the academic matters".
"As per the provisions in the RTE Act, "appropriate government" for the CBSE Schools is the central government. However, the state rules are made applicable to CBSE Schools including its syllabus control and entrusted with the State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT). The direction of SCERT is contrary to National Council for Educational Research and Training ( NCERT) and the academic council of CBSE".
"Contradictory provisions have been incorporated by the state government due to which running of CBSE Schools in Kerala has become impossible. We have fixed an appointment with HRD ministry in Delhi this month", said KCSMA president, TPM Ibrahim Khan.
Schools want the HRD ministry to clarify whether the "appropriate government" in the matter of CBSE is the Central government. "If the Central government fails to act in the matter, CBSE Schools in Kerala will have to be closed down since the conditions stipulated in the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Kerala) Rules, 2011 are not practicable", said Khan.
In the memorandum, the association has also drawn the HRD ministry’s attention to the fact that the Central government and respective State government make Rules from time to time and issue instructions to CBSE Schools without hearing and considering the grievances of the Schools. "No representation is given for the management of the CBSE Schools in any of the bodies like governing body of the CBSE or State Educational Council in the State. Consequently, the instructions and Rules issued from time to time are discriminatory and contradictory", the memorandum added.
