The department of school education and literacy has given a 45-day deadline to schools that have been declared unauthorized either for following a wrong board or starting additional classes without permission.

The number of schools, which stands at over 1,600, was made public by the Associated Managements of Private Schools in Karnataka previously.

The department had enlisted various violations by these schools under the Karnataka Education Act 1983. Some of them included teaching in a different language for which permission was not sought, additional sections without approval, following the syllabus of a board without necessary affiliation etc.

The issue came to light just days after uniform annual assessments were made mandatory for all state-board affiliated schools.

In Karnataka, schools are set to reopen for the academic year 2023-24 on May 31. Prior to this, the department has asked schools to get necessary permissions within a 45-days period. Failing this, the schools might not be authorized to enroll students.

Among the instructions passed on to Deputy directors of public instruction are that schools which have been operating without registration must be closed.

The 45-day deadline is applicable to schools who have been following an incorrect medium of instruction, having additional sections, operating classes for two boards on the same campus and those following different syllabi.

Meanwhile, D Shashi Kumar, general secretary, KAMS urged that even as notices might be sent to schools, names of such schools must be made public.

“Naming them helps in two ways. One, it curbs corruption at the education department. Else, there is room for extortion. Secondly, it is the start of the academic year and parents can take an informed decision. Why shy away from making the list of these schools public?” he questioned.

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