In Haryana, over one lakh kids leave private schools

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, June 15

The lockdown necessitated by the Covid-19 outbreak has forced many parents to get the names of their children struck off from costly private schools to have them admitted in cheaper government schools.

In Rohtak, over 5,500 students have sought school leaving certificates (SLCs) from private schools while the figure of such pupils across the state is over one lakh, said sources.

Sonu, a driver, said his autorickshaw remained off road for the past three months. He was arranging two square meals by selling vegetables, hence couldn’t afford the hefty private school fee of his children. He got their names struck off from the private school.

Ramesh, who lost his job as a clerk in a private firm, said: “Facing financial crisis, I am left with no option but to shift my son to a government school where the fee is nominal and books, uniform provided free of cost.” Ashok Kumar, a school owner, said he had issued SLCs to 22 students during the past two months while many more applications were pending. “Most of these children belong to families facing financial problems,” he added.

Ravinder Nandal, District President, Haryana Private School Sangh, said private schools had been hit hard as over one lakh children across the state had so far applied for SLCs.

Admission facilitated in govt institutions

Amid complaints that private schools are either refusing or delaying the issuance of school leaving certificates (SLCs), the Director, School Education, on Monday issued an order saying that in case schools fail to issue an SLC in 14 days, it will be presumed to have been issued. All such affected students should be given admission immediately, the order said.