Islamabad (Anantnag), Jan 10: Tightening noose around the coaching centers, the district administration here has decided to enforce guidelines prescribed by the Apex Court and Directorate of Education for monitoring the tuition centers. The parents as well as teachers have appreciated the move.
 The administration had on Tuesday sealed six un-registered coaching centers in Islamabad town for lack of basic facilities.
 The District Development Commissioner (DDC), Anantnag, Farooq Ahmad Shah called the owners of all the coaching centers to his office and asked them to get their centers registered immediately. The meeting was also attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag, Ghulam Muhammad Dar and Chief Education Officer, Anantnag.  DDC gave fifteen days time to the all the coaching centers to improve their facilities and get registered.
 “Any Coaching centre that fails to get registered within 15 days and does not adhere to the prescribed guidelines of Directorate of School Education and Supreme Court will be sealed and legal action initiated against it,” said DDC.
 He said the six coaching centers which were sealed will only be allowed to reopen if they strictly follow the guidelines.
 The owners of coaching centers have been asked to maintain proper admission register and regulate fee structure and provide names of faculty members and their qualification. “They will also have to notify and display monthly fee structure (subject as well as course wise),” DDC said. He said the coaching centers also have to ensure proper, heating facilities, cooling arrangement, separate toilet and drinking facility for boys and girls, and other such infrastructure.
 DDC said that registered coaching centers according to the set guidelines have to charge the fee on monthly basis rather than charging them in one go. “It gives a liberty to a student to leave or join new one, if he or she is not satisfied with teaching staff and facilities there,” he said.
 He said that according to the guidelines it is mandatory for the coaching centers to give 10 percent reservation to orphans and children of Below Poverty Line (BPL) population.
 The prescribed norms say that only those coaching centers will be registered who are located in a noise free, pollution free and hassle free environment. “No permission will be given to the centers located in busy commercial areas and creating traffic mess,” he said. The other facilities, according to the guidelines include; comfortable seating arrangement ie 9 sq ft space for each student in a class room and electricity facility.
 DDC further directed the Chief Education Officer (CEO) to ensure that guidelines given by Supreme Court about the ban on teachers working in private coaching centers are strictly followed.
 “Any government teacher found teaching in the private coaching centers will be taken to task,” said DDC.
 The parents of the students while appreciating the move have appealed the administration to persist with the initiative throughout the year. “We hail the initiative taken by the district administration and it should not stop here but continue in future also,” said the parents.
 The teachers have also hailed the initiative of the District administration. “This is a welcome move and we are ready to extend full cooperation to the administration,” said faculty members of Axis English Academy.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 9 Jan 2013 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 9 Jan 2013 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 10 Jan 2013 00:00:00 IST