Rajkot DEO orders New Flora School closure, imposes Rs 1 lakh fine

Rajkot: The Rajkot District Education Officer (DEO) has ordered the closure of New Flora English Medium School on Pedak Road after finding that the school had shifted its operations to a shed at a saree factory without permission for the past two years.

The school has been fined Rs 1 lakh and directed to close within 10 days following a two-month investigation by the Education Department. The action came after a complaint involving alleged demands for additional fees from two students studying under the Right to Education (RTE) Act led to scrutiny of the school’s operations.

According to DEO Dixit Patel, around 40 RTE students from Classes 1 to 8 studying at the school will be transferred to nearby private schools under the RTE provision. The school administration will be responsible for making arrangements for the remaining students.

The action has left the future of around 250 students enrolled at the school uncertain. School administrator Gunwantbhai Lakkad has appealed against the DEO’s order before the Director of Primary Education in Gandhinagar and said he would approach the court if necessary.

Lakkad said the school was shifted to the new premises around two years ago as an emergency measure to ensure that students’ education was not disrupted. He claimed that the management was unaware of the rules requiring permission for a change in the school’s location and that some documents related to the new building were pending with the municipal corporation.

He said the management would abide by the decision of the Gandhinagar Education Directorate and, if required, shift the school back to its original location.

DeshGujarat