Pre-primary education needs new rules: KeSCPCR

KOZHIKODE: State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KeSCPCR) has asked the director of public instruction (DPI) to formulate comprehensive rules and regulations for pre-primary education. There are no rules or regulations in the sector (three to six years of age) in the country. The commission order came in the wake of the vigilance director forwarding a case of school authorities allegedly accepting a huge amount of money for admissions.

It said Kadavathur West AUP School in Kannur charging exorbitantly for admissions to primary classes in English medium. The probe found no evidence of bribery but the violation of Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE) and thus referred it to KeSCPCR. “The RTE Act mentions about pre-primary education. The director and secretary of DPI along with the director of social justice department should come up with comprehensive rules and regulations in pre-primary schooling,” said K. Naseer Chaliyam, KeSCPCR member.

The order states that government should make it clear about the administration of pre-primary schools. Kerala School Teachers’ Association (KSTA) leader T. Thilakaraj said their demand is to enforce norms from minus two to plus two. “Expanding education rules to pre-primary section could be carried out along with the modification of Kerala Education Rules (KER),” he said.