HC directs Tamil Nadu govt to verify whether schools following rules

The Madras High Court Tuesday directed the Tamil Nadu government to make surprise checks to verify whether schools implemented the no homework rule up to class II and followed NCERT-prescribed textbooks ordered by it.

Justice N Kirubakaran issued the directive to the School Education Secretary and Director and sought a compliance report. He posted the matter for further hearing to October 9.

The order was given during the hearing of a petition by advocate Purushothaman over the implementation of NCERT syllabus by the CBSE.

In his order, the judge in his order said the state education authorities should make surprise checks in all schools, including those under the CBSE and state board, to see that the order of the court banning the homework as well as restricting of subjects was properly implemented.

The judge had on May 29 asked the Centre to instruct the state governments to reduce the weight of satchels and do away with homework up to Class II, observing that children were neither weightlifters nor school bags loaded containers.

The education department had recently issued a circular saying inspecting officers shall convene the meeting of heads of schools and appraise the importance of the orders of the high court for strict compliance and obtain a necessary acknowledgment from them, added.