Days after the Education Department took possession of the building housing Farooqia Girls High School in Lashkar Mohalla in Mysuru earlier this week, sparking protests by students, parents and others, former Minister and Congress MLA Tanveer Sait supported the Education Department officials’ proposal to accommodate the students in nearby government schools.
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Sait found fault with Rifahul Muslimeen Educational Trust (RMET), which manages Farooqia group of institutions, and said the future of the students studying in the now-closed Farooqia Girls High School will be best served if they are enrolled in the adjacent Nizamia Government Girls High School or the Government High School situated in nearby People’s Park.
Mr Sait disclosed that the RMET had not even bothered to secure the necessary renewal of recognition for the school for the year 2022-23 from the Education Department. “Even if the students were allowed to continue in the same school, they would have lost a year. It is a godsend that such a situation arose at the start of the academic year,” he said, while urging the students and their parents to secure admission in other schools.
He also called upon the management of Farooqia Girls High School to refund the fees paid by the students and hand over the necessary documents needed for their admission to nearby government schools.
Ramachandra Raje Urs, Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPI), Mysuru, who confirmed that the Education Department had not received any application for renewal of recognition from Farooqia Girls High School for the year 2022-23, told The Hindu that all the 150 students of the school can be accommodated in either Nizamia Government Girls High School or Government High School in People’s Park. “We have enough infrastructure in both the government schools to accommodate them”.
HC ruling in favour of state govt
It may be mentioned here that the State Government had leased the building housing Farooqia Girls High School to RMET to run the institution. After the lease period ended, a dispute arose between the management and State Government and the matter reached the High Court, which ruled in favour of the State Government 18 years ago. “Even though the matter was settled by the High Court about 18 years ago, no effort had been made to take over the building. Now, the Education Department has taken over the building following a Government order,” Mr Urs said.
The closure of the school earlier this week saw protests by students led by representatives from not only RMET, but also various political parties including Congress, SDPI and AAP among others. A few leaders of the protest had even blamed Mr. Sait for not coming to the aid of the students who had been evicted from the school.
