Mandatory for UP schools to have playgrounds for kids

Prayagraj: Every school in Uttar Pradesh that seeks recognition will now need to have a minimum playground size for the establishment of private primary and upper primary schools in the state.

A directive issued by Special Secretary (Basic Education) Yatindra Kumar was sent to the Director of Basic Education, outlining changes to the terms and conditions for granting recognition to schools from class 1 to class 8 within the state, as stated by a senior official from the state’s Basic Education Department.

According to the new guidelines, primary schools located within urban areas must have a playground measuring at least 500 square meters, while upper primary schools within urban areas require a playground of 1000 square meters.

For schools situated in rural areas, the Basic Education Department will only grant recognition if the playground measures a minimum of 1,000 square meters for primary schools and 2,000 square meters for upper primary schools.

Previously, there were no stringent regulations concerning the size of sports fields required for granting recognition to primary and upper primary schools in the state, officials said.

The government order dated January 11, 2019, had only stipulated that there should be an adequate playground on or near the school premises for use by students.

The new norms also emphasise the need for a sufficient number of trees and plants on the school premises.