Mushrooming of unregulated pre-nursery schools spark concerns in Baramulla
Baramulla, Apr 14: The unchecked rise of pre-nursery schools, commonly known as crèches, across Baramulla district has sparked concern among residents, with many pointing to the lack of basic infrastructure, unregulated transportation, and traffic congestion caused by these institutions. Over the past few years, scores of such schools have mushroomed in both urban and rural areas of the district. However, many of them operate without adhering to basic norms.
Among the most pressing issues is the use of private vans for transporting children, which, due to the absence of dedicated parking spaces, often block roads during school hours and cause massive traffic snarls. "These schools are being set up in every nook and corner of residential areas, but they don’t provide any parking space," said Fayaz Ahmad, a local resident. "Despite charging high admission fees, they fail to meet even basic requirements. The vans occupy the roads, especially during peak hours, turning smooth traffic flow into chaos." Ironically, these school vans occupy the roads till the end of the working hours at the schools and during this period remain on the road. This affects the smooth functioning of traffic. Residents in areas like Kanispora and other parts of the town echoed similar concerns. Gulshana, a local from the area, said the education department seems indifferent to the situation. “Most of these schools don’t have playfields, separate spaces for different age groups, or basic amenities for sleeping, eating, and recreation,” she said.
“Worse, parents ignore issues like overcrowded or rashly driven vans. We need to take collective responsibility for our children’s safety.” added Gulshana. Another alarming issue is the operation of numerous unregistered crèches, especially in rural areas like Rafiabad, Tangmarg and the Kandi belt. These institutions often lack proper infrastructure and pose a serious threat to the safety and well-being of children.
When contacted, Chief Education Officer Baramulla, Altaf Hussain Tara while acknowledging the issue said . “I have issued directions to the respective Zonal Education Officers (ZEOs) to furnish detailed reports of all such institutions operating in their jurisdictions,” he said. The local residents have urged district administration to take immediate action by initiating verification drives, ensuring mandatory registration, and enforcing safety guidelines for the transportation of children. They also demanded that schools provide proper infrastructure and avoid setting up in congested residential zones without fulfilling basic requirements. "The setup of such pre nursery schools in congested residential areas is a major concern. They don't have the required infrastructure and authorities need to verify their credentials," said a local resident.
