Mumbai: In a significant move to curb the operation of illegal schools in Maharashtra, the state education department issued a government resolution, stating that if any illegal school is found operating, the concerned education officer will be held personally responsible and subjected to disciplinary action. The directive aims to prevent the opening of new illegal schools in the state.
A senior official from the education department mentioned, “The government has found that several schools are operating without proper permissions, and students enrolled in these schools have to suffer a lot.”
State Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar had previously stated that Maharashtra has approximately 800 illegal schools. Punitive action, including closure, would be initiated against them if necessary documents were not provided. Nearly 1,500 students were shifted to schools with valid permissions during this period.
The decision comes after a fresh report on illegal schools in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) revealed that 517 primary schools and 97 secondary schools in the region lacked necessary clearances. Despite a special drive resulting in the approval of some schools and closure of others, a significant number of illegal schools are still awaiting government approval.
