Seventh Day school found running without authorization; DEO recommends state takeover

Ahmedabad: The inquiry conducted by a committee appointed by the District Education Officer (DEO) to investigate the Seventh Day Adventist High School in Maninagar has revealed that the institution has been operating without valid authorization. Following these findings, the city DEO has urgently recommended that the state education department take over the school’s administration.

The school came under scrutiny after a Class 8 student fatally stabbed a Class 10 student, prompting the DEO to form an inquiry committee under the Right to Education (RTE) Act to examine the school’s credentials and compliance.

City DEO R.M. Chaudhary confirmed that the committee’s report has been submitted to the state education department.

DEO Committee Finds Major Irregularities

According to the findings, the school’s current premises were leased from the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) in 2003, but no formal approval was obtained for expanding classes or relocating sections. Records also indicate that recognition for Classes 1–6 under the Maninagar-East jurisdiction was granted only between 1981 and 1986, and for a different location.

While a small primary section continues to operate legally at the original site, the present campus runs Classes 1 to 12 without official sanction. The school has also expanded its sections without obtaining the required approval from the Education Board.

The report has recommended that the state government either take over the school or transfer its management to another trust to ensure regulatory compliance and safeguard students. Deshgujarat