Non-recognised private schools will not be shut: Sisodia

New Delhi : Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday assured parents of students studying in non-recognised private schools in Delhi that such institutions will not face closure.

His assurance came after the Delhi government's Directorate of Education (DOE) identified 700 such unrecognised private schools that violate the provisions laid down in the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

"I met representatives of non-recognised private schools. I told them that no school will be closed in Delhi. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi will not be allowed to close any school. The Delhi government believes in opening schools and not closing them," Sisodia, who is also the Education minister of Delhi, tweeted after meeting representatives from these schools on Friday morning.

As per data from Delhi State Public Schools Management Association, there are around 3,000 unrecognised schools in Delhi, admitting nearly 10 lakh students a year. The DOE has identified 700 such unrecognised private schools that violate the provisions laid in the RTE Act, 2009.

When RTE was implemented, schools not recognised by the government were given time till 2013 for progressive closure. In May last year, the DoE had given the schools a final opportunity to seek recognition or stop classes.