Private playschools being run illegally

Bathinda, February 12

Most private playschools in the district are running without mandatory recognition or registration under the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) guidelines.

Under the NCPCR guidelines, no private playschool in existence shall be run and no new private playschool shall be established without the recognition of the competent authority and except in accordance with the terms and conditions specified in such recognition.

It is mandatory for all playschools to get recognised and those planning to open a new playschool will also have to apply for recognition. Moreover, it is mandatory for all schools to include the word ‘playschool’ in their name.

Moreover, no child below the age of three years can be admitted to a playschool. Besides, the fee charged by the school have to be regulated by the government and can be collected on a monthly or quarterly basis. While admitting a child, the school can’t collect any capitation fee.

Even it has also fixed a standard ratio that there would be one teacher and one caretaker for 20 children. Moreover, the school must have adequate circulation area and ventilation, a separate rest room for children, barrier-free access, CCTV surveillance, fire safety measures, library, periodic pest control, separate child-friendly toilets, basic first aid and medical kit.

Apart from this, there must be adequate staff to maintain hygiene, sanitation and ensure safety of the children.

Each playschool must constitute a parents-teachers association that should include 75 per cent parents (at least 50 per cent mothers) and 25 per cent teachers. But most playschools are running from a building in residential areas and those have even not paid change of land use dues to the MC.