Patna, Oct. 16: Around 3,000 private schools in the state, under the banner of Co-ordination Committee of Public School Associations of Bihar, passed a resolution today refusing to get registered with the government “at any cost”.

Representatives of the schools gathered at Rabindra Bhavan in Patna to voice their protest against the registration norm. They decided to keep their schools closed on November 11 and 12 to register their protest with the authorities. November 11 is also the deadline given to all schools in the state to get themselves registered with the government.

When asked about the schools’ decision, human resource development minister P.K. Shahi expressed concern.

He told The Telegraph: “I am unable to understand why the schools here, unlike other states, are not ready to get registered. Registration of schools is something which has to be done under the RTE Act (Right to Education Act) and there’s no option of not getting registered. How can schools go against the law which have been made by Parliament?”

Shahi added that if the schools had any problem with the deadline for registration (November 11), they can come to him with some valid reasons. After that, he may request the central government to extend the date.

“How much more time do the schools need? The RTE Act had to be implemented by April 1, 2010 but unlike other states, it has not been done in Bihar till date. This would lead to blocking of funds from the central government and then the government schools would have to face problems,” Shahi said.

“If the schools want the state government to wait for the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the RTE Act, they should get a stay order from the apex court,” the minister added.

The schools, meanwhile, maintained that they could not be forced by the administration to go for registration.

G.J. Galstaun, treasurer of the association, said: “The RTE Act violates the rights given to the minorities under Articles 29 and 30 of the Indian Constitution.”

Shamael Ahmad, president of Private Schools and Children Welfare Association, said: “No matter how much the education given by private schools deteriorate, it would always be better than government schools. The state government is adopting two types of laws- one for us and the other for itself and this cannot be tolerated.”