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Chandigarh, July 20
Despite orders against it from the UT Administration, coaching centres in the city are holding classes during school hours. The Deputy Commissioner had issued orders last month asking the coaching centres to remain shut from 8 am to 3 pm. The orders were to be implemented from July 1.
The issue has been addressed by the Deputy Commissioner time and again. In 2015 and 2016 also, similar orders were issued. This practice has given rise to dummy schools which grant adequate attendance to a child to miss school and attend coaching centres if he continues to pay their fee as well.
While the coaching centres deny holding classes during the school hours, one can find a large number of students there during these hours. The owner of a coaching centre in Sector 34 says, “During the school hours, we have a batch for 'dropout students', who do not have to go to school.”
However, when this correspondent spoke to some children outside institutes in the same area, they admitted that they missed school for the coaching classes. One of the students said, “I have classes on alternate days; so I attend school on the other days; this way, I manage at both places.” Students say the orders will hurt them as they will have to spend the entire day at school and coaching centres, leaving them with no time for self-study.
Dept to hold meeting with schools, coaching centres
To tackle the issue, the Education Department has decided to meet school principals and owners of coaching institutes next week.
The issue will be discussed and a report submitted to a high-powered committee, including the Deputy Commissioner, said the Director, School Education, Rubinderjit Singh Brar. The issue of dummy schools will also come up at the meeting next week. Sources said the meeting was likely to decide on the action to be taken against dummy schools and such coaching centres. The proposal for the action would be submitted to the high-powered committee. — TNS
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