Times of India: Chandigarh: Wednesday, 24 April 2024.
Only two of the 489 play schools being run in Gurgaon district of Haryana are recognized by the authorities, according to information obtained in response to an RTI (Right to Information) query. Similarly, out of the 116 play schools functioning in Panchkula district, only seven are registered/recognized.
In Ambala district, too, of the 36 private play schools functioning, only 17 have been registered and 19 are under inspection to register.
This information has been
provided by the SPIO-cum-district programme officer Gurgaon, SPIO-cum-director,
women and child development department, Panchkula, SPIO-cum-district programme
officer, department of women and child development, Ambala, through different
letters issued from April 5-22.
A Gurgaon-based RTI activist Aseem Takyar had sought details about the number of play schools being run in these three districts and how many of these had government recognition. The authorities also informed the applicant that the recognition has been accorded to these play schools as per the guidelines issued by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).
As per the NCPCR guidelines, play schools at district level are granted recognition by the competent authority, which is the district level nodal officer responsible for implementation of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) under department of Women and Child Development (WCD) /Social Justice as applicable in the respective states/UTs.
The NCPCR regulations also provide that no private play school shall be established without getting recognition of the competent authority and these should adhere to the terms and conditions specified for it.
The guidelines make it plain that there should be one teacher and one caregiver per 20 children, sets different parameters for the school building, limits school hours to 3-4 hours per day and specifies non-residential facilities.
The process for granting recognition to such schools as per the NCPCR guidelines begins once the the application is received and is scrutinized by the competent authority.
After short-listing the proposals, a minimum two-member team comprising officials not below block-level ones, will be formed by the competent authority to visit the proposed/established play school site.
The team will then submit its report in the prescribed format to the competent authority. On receipt of the report, the competent authority, if satisfied that the proposal for recognition fulfils the objectives, may issue a recognition certificate.
Only two of the 489 play schools being run in Gurgaon district of Haryana are recognized by the authorities, according to information obtained in response to an RTI (Right to Information) query. Similarly, out of the 116 play schools functioning in Panchkula district, only seven are registered/recognized.
In Ambala district, too, of the 36 private play schools functioning, only 17 have been registered and 19 are under inspection to register.
A Gurgaon-based RTI activist Aseem Takyar had sought details about the number of play schools being run in these three districts and how many of these had government recognition. The authorities also informed the applicant that the recognition has been accorded to these play schools as per the guidelines issued by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).
As per the NCPCR guidelines, play schools at district level are granted recognition by the competent authority, which is the district level nodal officer responsible for implementation of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) under department of Women and Child Development (WCD) /Social Justice as applicable in the respective states/UTs.
The NCPCR regulations also provide that no private play school shall be established without getting recognition of the competent authority and these should adhere to the terms and conditions specified for it.
The guidelines make it plain that there should be one teacher and one caregiver per 20 children, sets different parameters for the school building, limits school hours to 3-4 hours per day and specifies non-residential facilities.
The process for granting recognition to such schools as per the NCPCR guidelines begins once the the application is received and is scrutinized by the competent authority.
After short-listing the proposals, a minimum two-member team comprising officials not below block-level ones, will be formed by the competent authority to visit the proposed/established play school site.
The team will then submit its report in the prescribed format to the competent authority. On receipt of the report, the competent authority, if satisfied that the proposal for recognition fulfils the objectives, may issue a recognition certificate.
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