DEO starts crackdown on unauthorised private schools in Ludhiana
The district education officer (DEO, elementary) Ravinder Kaur along with inspection team, launched a checking drive across private schools running in the area. The focus on day one was schools operating without registration under either the RTE Act or the UDISE survey.
The team first inspected two such schools—Sarthak Academy (with total of 96 students) and Future Builder School (with total of 20 students)—located on Tibba Road in Shera Colony and found both institutions running without proper authorisation. Sarthak Academy has been operating for nearly four years, while Future Builder School has been functional for about a year.
The inspection also revealed that none of the teaching staff in either school are professionally trained.
DEO revealed that as per directions by the Punjab education department, all private schools operating across the district will undergo strict inspections by a team. A six-member inspection committee has been formed, with the DEO serving as its chairperson. The team also includes block primary officers (BPOs) and other key members.
As per the guidelines, all schools must strictly follow the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, and the Punjab State RTE Rules, 2011. Schools have been instructed to keep their documents ready for verification. These include building safety certificates, fire safety clearance, certificates for clean drinking water, sanitation reports and documents related to safe school transport policies. In addition, records of other basic facilities provided to students must also be available. All these documents must be presented as certified copies at the time of inspection so that the teams can compile accurate reports and submit them to the state government on time.
'Sarthak Academy, which has been conducting classes in one hall, has been issued a notice, and they have been given two days to explain why the school was being run without proper registration,' said Kaur.
She added that action is also being taken for Future Builder School, where around 20 children were found studying in poor conditions. 'I have asked teachers from the nearby government school in Subhash Nagar to enrol these students. Government schools offer better facilities and parents should prefer them over such small, unauthorised institutions,' she emphasised.
More inspections are expected in the coming days.
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