There are as many as 500 unauthorised schools in the Ghaziabad district, a basic education department survey has found.
The survey was launched after a four-year-old boy fell into a drain outside his school in Vasundhara’s Sector 16. Sunny's death was blamed on negligent officials of the school that was later found to be unauthorised.
The incident had sparked widespread outrage and prompted the district officials to order the survey to identify unauthorised schools.
“Almost 500 schools are violating rules. We will soon issue notices, asking the schools to either adhere to norms or shut down by September 30,” Rajkumar Vishwkarma, city education officer, said.
July 12 was Sunny’s third day at the Holy Mother Public School. His body was later fished out of an uncovered drain in front of the school. The boy's lodged an FIR at the Indirapuram police station, blaming the school for Sunny's death An inquiry by the basic education department found that the school did not have the necessary permissions.
Rules mandate that a school have the education department's permission to function. It should also have at least five rooms (each measuring 20 feet by 20 feet) and should conform to the National Building Code (NBC). A playground and adherence to fire safety norms are necessary.
The Holy Mother Public School, based in a two-room house, had students of classes nursery to eight. Sunny was enrolled in nursery at the school.
{{/usCountry}}The Holy Mother Public School, based in a two-room house, had students of classes nursery to eight. Sunny was enrolled in nursery at the school.
{{/usCountry}}Soon after the incident, the Uttar Pradesh Avas Vikas Parishad reiterated its stand against unauthorised schools. “No school is allowed to operate in residential and commercial areas,” Narsingh Prasad, superintending engineer, said.
The incident had prompted questions on open drains in the city.
Ghaziabad’s civic authorities had thrown up their hands, saying covering drains in the city would hamper efforts to clean and de-silt them.