Min Deepak Kesarkar: State govt to fast-track regulation on pre-primary schools

In response to the Badlapur sexual assault incident and similar cases at independent private play schools and kindergartens the Maharashtra government has fasttracked legislation to bring all private preprimary schools under its regulatory control School Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar announced that the draft law aimed at regulating preprimary institutions is in the final stage of approvalA draft legislation officially submitted to the government in December 2023 seeks to incorporate these schools into the statersquos regulatory frameworkCurrently private preprimary schools nurseries and kindergartensmdashcatering to children aged three to six yearsmdashoperate without formal oversight The state government lacks an official count of such institutions across Maharashtra raising concerns about safety and educational standards While many of these schools have gained recognition under the National Education Policy NEP they have operated without prior authorisationKesarkar explained that once the draft is approved these schools will fall under the jurisdiction of the state education department ldquoAn independent act to regulate private preprimary schools has been prepared and is in its final stagerdquo he said The draft which has been submitted to the law department for finalisation is expected to be passed in the upcoming legislative sessionSuraj Mandhare the state commissioner of education emphasised the need for regulation stating ldquoOnce approved all preprimary schools including nurseries and kindergartens will be required to operate within the framework of the law These institutions will need to obtain official state approvalrdquoThe new regulation expected to take effect from the 202526 academic year will standardise the curriculum for nursery junior and senior kindergarten students The act will also enforce specific guidelines regarding school infrastructure student capacity and teacher recruitment among other key factors The education board will be responsible for deciding the textbooks to be used and will oversee their printingThis move comes in light of the rising concerns about safety in unregulated preprimary institutions The Global Parents Teachers Association GPTAmdasha statelevel group representing parents and teachersmdashhas been vocal about the need for urgent intervention Citing two recent cases of sexual assault at kindergartens in Kandivli and Badlapur in a year within seven months the GPTA submitted an appeal to the chief minister and the State Child Welfare Department demanding that all institutions catering to children aged 05 years be brought under government supervisionThe GPTArsquos appeal highlighted the lack of accountability and safety regulations in preprimary schools and called for stricter monitoring to prevent abuse In its letter the GPTA questioned the current responsibility of the education department in protecting children stating ldquoIf the education department does not have the responsibility of protecting the students then to which department should we turnrdquoEfforts to regulate preprimary schools have been in motion since 2017 following a Bombay High Court directive for the state to develop a policy for these institutions The courtrsquos order came after the scrapping of the 1996 Maharashtra PreSchool Centres Regulation of Admission Act due to political pressureIn addition to regulating the curriculum and safety standards sources indicate that the government is considering applying the Fee Regulation Act FRA to govern and regulate fees in private preprimary institutions This would further address concerns about the disparity in educational quality and costs across different schoolsA senior official from the State School Education Department said ldquoThe goal is not to take control of existing private preprimary schools but to reduce disparities in education quality and curricula We will ensure that educational institutions are not unnecessarily burdened focusing on what students are taught during their formative yearsrdquoThe draft law is awaiting approval and once passed it will mark a significant step toward ensuring a safer and more structured educational environment for young children in MaharashtraDec 2023Month draft legislation was submitted to govtPush for child rightsldquoThe IAP advocates for an independent ministry for children to address issues that impact child welfare and tackle challenges like digital exploitation junk food and climate changerdquo said Samir Dalwai developmental pediatrician and convenor of the Child Manifesto Committee Indian Academy of Pediatrics IAPOne ministry neededThe Ministry of Women and Child Development is responsible for the overall welfare of women and children in the country However issues related to children are fragmented and several specific issues are addressed by different ministriesFundamental rights of childrenThe IAP has called for implementation of the four fundamental rights from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child Right to survival Right to development Right to protection Right to participation in decisionmaking affecting their lives