Rautahat, April 26

Local bodies are granting licence to private schools to operate classes against the prevailing education regulation in Rautahat.

Local bodies in Garuda, Samanpur and Gaur, among other areas, are granting licence to private schools to run classes from Grade V to X in violation of the regulation. With the country adopting federal structure schools are now regulated by local bodies.

Education section at Garuda Municipality has issued licence to some private schools to operate classes up to grades VIII and X in violation of education regulation.

Prevailing education regulation states that a new school can be granted a licence to run Grade I, for the first time. If the school meets the criteria of infrastructure, among others, it will be permitted to operate Grade II the next year. Hence, a school can upgrade itself gradually under the given regulation.

However, dozens of schools, including New Galaxy, Hope School, New Goreto, Sagarmatha and Rautahat Child Academy in the district are operating illegally.

Chief of Education Development and Coordination Unit, Rautahat, Jaya Prasad Mahat said existing education regulation did not permit a new school to operate classes higher than Grade I in the first year. “If a new school is granted licence to run classes up to grades V, VII or X concurrently, it is against the law,” he clarified.

Private and Boarding Schools’ Organisation Nepal, Rautahat Chair Birendra Thakur said it was illegal to grant licence to new schools to run classes higher than Grade I.

“The local level has to abide by the law of the land while granting licence to a new private school,” he said.

In line with the changed education regulation, a private school has to register as a guthi or a social organisation and has to receive licence from the local level.

“The new provision envisions schools as non-profit organisations,” said Thakur.