Approximately, a total of 45,000 private schools in Madhya Pradesh are affiliated to the Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE), and 2,800 come under the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic situation in the country with schools functioning online, over 47,000 private schools in Madhya Pradesh have suspended online classes for an indefinite period. The schools are demanding restoration of their recognition and resumption of offline teaching for Classes 9 to 12. While schools and colleges across the country have mostly remained closed since March 2020 due to the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus, the classes were being conducted via virtual mode to curb academic losses. The sudden decision regarding the suspension of online classes taken by the MP Private School Association has left many parents in shock. Suhasni Roy, whose children study in a school located in Bhopal, MP, is stressed about the school reopening. While talking to Shiksha.com about the decision taken by the association, Suhasni stated, “The second wave of COVID-19 was devastating, I lost my father. Now, there is news about the COVID-19 third wave. Many reports are claiming that it is likely to hamper children the most. I don’t know what I would do if the school reopens. Online classes were a relief as our kids were in touch with studies so far.”
However, various reports suggest that the president of the MP Private School Association, Ajeet Singh, clearly stated that they took the decision to suspend classes indefinitely after failing to get any concrete response from the state government. Approximately, a total of 45,000 private schools in Madhya Pradesh are affiliated to the Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE), and 2,800 come under the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). The 45,000 MPBSE-affiliated schools in the state come under the MP Private School Association.
The primary demands made by the association include the renewal of recognition certificates of already closed schools for five years, instead of one. They also demand authorities to cease inspecting these educational institutions. “Looking at the losses that we have incurred, the state government should not charge the annual school recognition fee during these testing times," Singh said.
Quoting the Right to Education (RTE) Act, Singh claimed that the state government provides education to the underprivileged children and the government is supposed to pay for it; hence they should pay the dues pending with the schools.
Meanwhile, according to a reputed media source, VR Modi, the president of un-aided private school association of Madhya Pradesh that covers around 2800 CBSE-affiliated schools also confirmed
that they have also suspended online classes.
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