Visakhapatnam: Several preschools have mushroomed in Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts without obtaining permission from the education department.
Many unauthorised schools have also come up in villages of these districts with the name of branded educational institutions.
Over the last one decade, the number of playschools has increased in the cities. Slowly, this culture has spread to small towns as well.
However, most of the preschools in these towns do not have the mandatory permission from the education department. Due to lack of sufficient staff, the department has also failed to conduct regular inspections.
These preschools are collecting hefty fees from parents by keeping the dummy names of reputed educational institutions. Neither the original company nor the education department are taking any action on such unauthorised schools.
“Without any prior experience in the teaching field, a few preschools have come up in and around Vizianagaram town. Education has become a business for them. There are no qualified teachers in these pre-schools. Most of them are run with untrained persons spoiling the future of the kids,” said B. Sagar, a parent from Vizianagaram.
Vizianagaram DEO G. Nagamani admitted that the department has not turned its attention to playschools. “We have been conducting raids on private schools over the past few days. We have identified some schools, and directed them to apply for permissions. However, acting on fake brand schools does not come under our purview,” the DEO said.
Similarly, unauthorised schools have also come up in other towns of Srikakulam district. Palasa mandal education officer Ch. Srinivasa Rao said that only 12 of the 22 primary schools in Kasibugga and Palasa towns are recognised by the department in last six months.
He said, “It’s mandatory for all schools to take permission from the education department, even if they teach only lower kindergarten, upper kindergarten and pre-primary classes. First they need to apply for permission from the department. Government recognition will be given after six months.”
