Private schools across boards join hands to address common concerns
Times of India | 19 July 2024
Kolkata: Multiple private schools, across educational boards, in Bengal have come together to form a platform — The West Bengal Association of Private Affiliated Schools — to collectively nurture education to the right direction and usher in best practices.
The association, led by Adamas University's chancellor and the association chairman Samit Ray and Future Foundation School principal Ranjan Mitter, highlighted that the aim was to bring together the managements of private-affiliated schools under different boards.
It will be a common platform to discuss issues related to course curriculum, safety and security of students, teachers and management. The legal implications of different acts, including Pocso, and issues relating to school fees will also be addressed by the body.
Mitter told TOI: “The body will act as a platform where members from the management and the principals can place their issues to find solutions. Any private school can be a part of it.”
Pradip Agarwal, the CEO at Heritage Institute of Technology, said: “This platform was required to discuss matters related to the education and course curriculum as well as the challenges that the managements and school administrations face to run schools.”
The association was formally inaugurated on Thursday by launching a website. Adamas University's VC Suranjan Das was the chief guest. The organisation is aiming to attract around 200 members in the first phase.
According to sources, the idea for the association was first mooted in 2020. The advent of Covid delayed the plans. During Covid, multiple schools were taken to courts by parents over school fees till the court intervened. During this phase, there were some incidents as well in which schools had to deal with legal issues. “Similar associations operate in other states, too,” a school principal said, adding: “There are separate associations of schools run by CISCE and CBSE. This platform will be unique because it will involve schools affiliated to various boards.”
“Though there are associations for parents and teachers in many schools, there is no common representation of the management where we can together discuss a plan of action. We belong to the same fraternity,” a principal said.