Patna, Sept. 25: The city-based private schools today claimed that they were game to Right to Education (RTE) but would not bow down to the human resource development (HRD) department’s alleged diktat to seek recognition from the state government by September 30.

The schools, under the banner of Private Schools and Children Welfare Association (PSCWA), vented their ire against seeking the recognition in public. Syed Shamael Ahmad, the chairman of PSCWA, said: “The private schools are firm on their stand of not seeking recognition in haste. Not a single private schools would budge from its stand, as the Supreme Court verdict on the issue is pending.”

Mervyan Cowell, the secretary of the PSCWA, said: “The fallout of the state government’s directive would not only be limited to penalisation or closure of schools not adhering to the HRD department’s directive. The future of more than 60 lakh students in private elementary schools across the state would also be at stake.”

He said: “One can see large number of beacon-fitted cars at the entrance of top missionary schools in the city. On one hand, the state government officials are passing strict guidelines to curb the influence of private schools. On the other, they are sending their wards to those institutions.”

Cowell said the September 30 deadline itself was contrary to the government guidelines. “A notice sent by the state HRD department on May 12 asked all private schools to seek recognition by six months. Thus, the deadline should be November 12 and not September 30, as notified in the HRD department’s latest notice to the private schools,” he added.

The association members said they had the right to run private educational institutions without any governmental interference. “If we take recognition from the state government, the officials of the HRD department would be included in the school management. They would interfere in our affairs,” an association member said.

The PSWCA representatives said they would hold a meeting on Wednesday with various associations associated with the private schools and decide on further course of action.

The state HRD department sent letters to all the private schools in May, directing them to seek recognition from the state government. It sent a reminder to the institutions recently. But the private schools are up in arms against state government’s directive.

The HRD department sources said the objective behind making the government registration mandatory for the schools is to check their infrastructure, said sources in the HRD department. It would also help the government ascertain the exact number of private elementary schools.

According to the RTE norms, the schools should have certain minimum facilities like adequate teachers, playground and infrastructure. They should be all-weather buildings having at least one classroom for every teacher and an office-cum-cum-principal’s room. The co-educational schools should have separate toilets for boys and girls.The schools are supposed have safe and adequate drinking water facility for all children. They should also have playgrounds and sports kits.