‘CBSE teachers not allowed to engage in private tuition’

CBSE chairman Vineet Joshi (right) with Birla Public School principal AK Shrivastava. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil

By Joseph Varghese/Staff ReporterTeachers from schools under Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) are not allowed to take up private tuitions, said CBSE chairman Vineet Joshi yesterday. He also said that a single window system will be set up in Delhi to sort out the issues of the schools in the Gulf region.Speaking to the media, Joshi who was in Doha for a workshop for CBSE-International Curriculum teachers held at Birla Public School, said that CBSE teachers can no more engage in private tuitions. “With the passage of the Right to Education Bill by the Indian Parliament in 2012, private tuitions are no more allowed. Schools should not allow the teachers to engage in tuitions and the parents must refrain from the habit of sending the children for tuitions,” he said.When hinted that some of the school managements in Qatar recruit teachers on condition of providing opportunities for private tuitions, Joshi said that it was a matter of serious concern. “Tuitions should not be a means for providing remuneration for teachers. The school managements must make sure that the teachers are paid adequately and keep their teachers away from tuitions,” he added. He observed that actions such as disaffiliation of the schools will be initiated if any school management is found engaged in such practices.The CBSE chief said that he had a meeting with the principals of the schools in Qatar and they had raised many concerns during the meeting. He said: “I have had a fruitful interaction with the heads of the schools and they had raised some serious concerns. We have decided to set up a single window system in Delhi to look after the concerns of the schools in the Middle East which will be operational very soon.”The CBSE official pointed out that he would meet the management members of the Indian schools in Qatar during his present visit and discuss the concerns raised by the principals of the schools. He said: “CBSE guidelines clearly point out that schools are not meant for commercial purposes. The managements must ensure that schools are run without profit motives and the teaching and non-teaching staff must be provided with decent salary.” He also said that CBSE has decided not to send the sample questions to schools to stop the rote learning and private tuitions. As for the accreditation of the schools planned by CBSE, Joshi said that CBSE was on the lookout for a competent agency to conduct the assessment. He said: “40 schools in India are undergoing a pilot programme of the quality assessment through an agency and once we decide on a competent agency, we will announce the accreditation scheme. Mostly, it will be done in August or September.” He emphasised that the accreditation system, which is based on an assessment of seven major domains of the schools, will mostly solve many of the issues faced by the parents, teachers and students.  Birla Public School principal AK Shrivastava also was present during the press conference.