Srinagar, Jan 03: The parents of a local private school on Friday opposed the decision of the school management to adopt the CBSE curriculum for students from the upcoming academic session.
The parents expressed their anger over the “abrupt decision” taken by the school to switch their affiliation from the JK Board of School Education (JKBOSE) to CBSE without consulting them, stating that they are the primary stakeholders in the school.
Amid the complaints, the school management clarified that the institution was granted a NoC from the competent authorities and that the decision to switch the board affiliation was taken after consulting parents.
However, a parent, Numaan Bhat, told news agency JKNS that the school made such a change without seeking proper parental consent.
“This decision affects our children’s education, and it seems to serve the school’s financial interests rather than the students,” he said.
The parents urged the education minister and the School Education Department (SED) to intervene and prevent such unilateral decisions.
“Schools should not be allowed to implement such changes without involving the primary stakeholders—parents,” another parent, Ashiq Ahmad, said.
The parents demanded that the school roll back its decision. “We need our children to receive quality education, nothing else. Schools are making decisions for their benefit,” a parent said.
Speaking to the news agency JKNS, the Chairman of Green Valley School said they obtained the NoC from the state government.
“This decision is built on the trust between the school administration and parents. There is a misconception among some parents that this shift will lead to higher fees or additional activity charges. That is not correct. The fees are regulated by the Fee Fixation Committee, and no changes can be made arbitrarily,” the school chairman said.
The Chairman further explained that the motive behind the decision was to prepare students to compete at the national level and excel in competitive exams.
“Earlier, J&K students had the CET, but now that it has been abolished, NEET has become the standard. To ensure our students are prepared, we need to align with a board that supports national-level competition. Sticking solely with JKBOSE in this context would not serve our students well,” he said.
He also noted that many parents are unaware of the key differences between the two boards. “About 90% of parents don’t understand the distinction between CBSE and JKBOSE. They think this transition means the school will stop following state government regulations, which is not true. We will continue adhering to these rules and have instructed our staff to equip students to excel on a national scale. Parents do not need to worry about this process,” he said.
The Chairman informed that they initially attempted to shift to CBSE in 2020, but their NoC was rejected as the school was deemed ineligible.
“We addressed the deficiencies highlighted at that time and applied again in 2024. We have been granted the NoC after meeting all requirements,” he said. (JKNS)
