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Bhopal, 17 February (HS). One year is about to be completed, but the bullying of a school run by a Christian missionary in Madhya Pradesh is so heavy on the system that even the school education department of the state seems to be facing it. Without recognition, this school is still running in the same way as it was earlier when it was raided by the State Children's Commission team a year ago. It is surprising that on one hand, the state government in one stroke closes all the schools run by the MP Board which do not have recognition, on the other hand, it is the missionary schools that have been running file after file for the last one year, but the school is being closed. So new admissions are being given here continuously.
In fact, there is ample evidence of mismanagement of St. Peter's School in Dabra tehsil of Gwalior district. Despite this, the school education department of the state is running away from its responsibilities. While the Tehsil education officer blames the district for not taking strict action against this school, the education officer of Gwalior district is saying that we have prepared a file and sent it to Bhopal, from where no guidance has been received till now. Earlier, District Gwalior Education Officer Ajay Katiyar was seen postponing the whole matter by citing the case in the court, but when he was asked in depth, he held his top officials sitting in Bhopal responsible for no action being taken till now. Have been.
It is noteworthy that on March 27, 2023, the team of the State Child Protection Commission reached Dabra and conducted a surprise raid on St. Peter's School located in Simaria Tekri, in which it was found that the school was running for the last several years without the approval of the State Government. A storehouse of Christian literature in the school, a nun training centre, open toilets for girls, running of the school on land given for agriculture, a church on the school premises, material for Christian conversion secretly found on the premises and many other irregularities. In view of this, the administration immediately sealed the school, but after a few days, as soon as the matter cooled down, it was not only opened, but admissions were started again without following the rules of the government.
School management survives by taking advantage of ICSE board and being a minority institution.
In this regard, Dabra Block Resource Coordinator Vivek Singh Chaukhatia says that it is governed by Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE), hence it does not need the recognition of any state government. We are being told this repeatedly by the school, whereas as per the rules, it is mandatory for every school to get the recognition of the State Education Department to run classes from class one to class eight. We have continuously given notices to this school from time to time to get recognition, now when the department announced its date for getting recognition, we also sent a letter to St. Peter's School asking them to get recognition, but He still did not take any recognition.
Earlier notice was given to deposit two and a half crore penalty
District Project Coordinator Ravindra Singh Tomar says that the DO office has investigated this matter and sent its points to the Bhopal office. Due to his belonging to minority community, it has been told that he has got exemption of RT in recognition, along with this they went to the court, hence till now a very thorough investigation has not been done from our side, since the matter is in the court, we are silent right now. Are. When District Project Coordinator Tomar was referred to the rules, he said that you come to us with the papers, if action is necessary, we will take it. Whereas, these are the same officers who had earlier issued a notice to the same school and demanded a reply within three days for the assessment of the year 2016 at the rate of Rs 10,000 per day in lieu of non-recognition of running of the school from the State School Education Department. He was asked to deposit the tax amount of more than Rs 2.5 crore, but this time he seemed silent.
At present he has told that this school has not yet deposited any amount as penalty. They were also quoting wrongly from the court's information related to the school. When the missionary school was contacted about this, first Himanshu picked up the number in the name of Joseph George, then he kept avoiding it again and again by saying that I will talk now, after five hours he blocked the correspondent's number. .
Questions are being raised on the working style of education and governance
It is worth noting that this campus was established in the name of the school in 1994. From then till now the school has not taken any permission, but the school is running smoothly. Such a huge campus, which is spread over several acres and is running without any restrictions under the eye of the education department and the government, today raises big questions on the working style of the education department. It is said that the Education Department first issued notice to the school management 12 times for renewal of permission, then again issued notice in the new year asking for permission, but despite this, the management of this Christian Missionary School did not pay any attention and continued to This school is flouting government rules. The surprising thing is that the officers who were serving notices to it till yesterday are today running away from their responsibility citing that it is a minority institution.
they say
In March last year, when Dr. Nivedita Sharma and Omkar Singh, members of the Commission for Protection of Child Rights, found irregularities and demanded strict action against this school from the government, when they were asked, they said that till now the Commission has not received any information from the Education Department. has not informed what action they took against this school after all the irregularities were found? We will update this school again. As far as being a minority institution is concerned, getting exemption in RT and getting recognition are two different things, those officials who are creating confusion by combining them will also be asked why they do not have correct information about the rules. If recognition by the State Education Department is necessary for every school to operate up to class VIII, then it is necessary, no exemption is given in this because it is a minority institution.