HC notice to govt on notification to shut down 800 schools

AMIT SHUKLA, LAWYER FROM RUPNAGAR, HAS FILED PLEA SAYING DECISION IS AGAINST RIGHT TO COMPULSORY EDUCATION AS PER LAW

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court on Thursday put the Punjab government on notice on a public interest litigation (PIL) challenging the government decision to shut 800 primary schools in the state.

The high court bench of justice AK Mittal and justice Amit Rawal acted on the petition of lawyer Amit Shukla, a Rupnagar resident, who had termed the decision against the Right of Children to Free And Compulsory Education Act, 2009.

He had sought a direction to the government to take appropriate steps to enhance the primary free and compulsory education to all children of the state aged between 6 and 14 years.

He argued that the government has decided to shut schools with strength of less than 20 students, whereas it should take to steps to increase the strength. The decision has been taken in collusion with private school operators to give them undue benefit, he had alleged.

The court was further told that the exercise is being carried in the middle of the session, rather than in the beginning of the session. The notification is totally against the welfare of the unprivileged children as well as teachers, who will be transferred to other locations in the middle of the session, which will also cause great hardships to both children as well as the public at large, the court was told.

The government response has been sought by November 2.

Meanwhile, workers too have been protesting the move to start pre-primary classes in these schools by merging anganwadi centres.