Schools wary of stifling norms

Times of India: New Delhi: Tuesday, 25 November 2014.

With the high court ordering Delhi government to ensure that playschools on DDA land start admitting children into EWS quota, this move could result in automatic recognition and regulation for them. While managements of such schools accept the recognition move and concede some norms need to be laid down, they fear interference on matters of fees and curriculum in the future.

Till now, playschools have been the only unregulated part of education, running as commercial ventures. The EWS part of the order alone may impact over 400 schools.

The Monday order doesn't mention recognition, though the government was rebuked for trying to argue that playschools aren't in their 'jurisdiction'. "We have to see if playschools breach the lease-deed agreement which requires 25% EWS admissions and report to Delhi Development Authority," said Padmini Singla, director, education.

However, petitioner Khagesh Jha argued that this will automatically lead to recognition. "To implement this, DoE will have to recognize these schools, be they on private or DDA land. It can't monitor institutions it has no control over," reasons Jha.

In response to an RTI query in 2013, Jha obtained from DDA a list of over 300 plots allotted to establish "nursery schools". This year, DDA told the high court it has allotted 169 plots. "These are all playschools. They've received land on DoE's sponsorship and regulation is a condition of that endorsement," said Jha.

About six of Shemrock's 50 schools in Delhi are on DDA land. The vice-chairman and managing director, Amol Arora, said they'll be "adhering to the lease deed agreement". He blames the "lack of awareness about this provision" for it not being implemented. "We can't deny admission if there are seats, but we have not been approached," he said. He added that a basic checklist with certain norms, especially ones pertaining to safety and hygiene, are a must.

Playschools, however, do not welcome interference in areas such as curriculum and fees or obtaining a large number of permits that may push up running or establishment costs.

"While some norms should be specified, recognition shouldn't be compulsory. It's a long procedure and most playschools run on a very small scale. Also some parents send their kids only for a few months," said Pooja Mehta, principal Tiny Tots Playschool, Janakpuri. Curricula are constantly updated and altered and kids join throughout the year.

Prajodh Rajan, CEO of Eurokids International, which runs 35 schools in Delhi on non-government land, points out that the issue of playschools has been addressed in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) policy, though it hasn't been implemented fully. "Minimum standards of space, infrastructure, teaching and equipment aren't a bad thing. But if the government gets into regulating fees then we'll face the heat," Rajan said.

Shipra Sharma, an educator with Mother's Pride, which has a network of 78 schools across Delhi-NCR, says that "the government and managements need to work together on a policy that'll be in the interest of the children."

The recent spate of molestations - and one of a child consuming paint thinner in school - led to protests by parents demanding regulation in September and October. The trigger was a molestation case reported from a playschool in Rohini. These cases even prompted Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights chief, Arun Mathur, to write to the chief secretary asking for a policy decision.