So sorry, school tells SSC board

MUMBAI, March 24: St Joseph’s High School, Wadala, has apologised for the nuisance it caused 300 students who answered their Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination despite the cacophony from a baraat and wedding reception held on the premises yesterday. The school, a centre for the all-important SSC exams, tendered a written apology today, after the Mumbai Divisional Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education ticked if off for renting out the premises without informing the board. Educational institutions are barred by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation from renting out their premises for commercial purposes during working hours.

Secretary of the Mumbai Divisional Board, Gurunath Kanthe, said a board member was dispatched to the school as soon as it read today’s report in Express Newsline, which mentioned that the premises had been rented out unmindful of the ongoing SSC examination. The member submitted his report this evening. "We regret the fact that we could not informthis (renting out the premises) to the board", says the letter penned by the school’s principal, Kanthe said. Denying that the school had been callous, rector and manager of St Joseph’s High School, Fr Boni D’Souza, said the authorities would have appreciated "a little sacrifice" from the students.

"The money we get from the rent is spent on repair and maintenance. So, just as we make a sacrifice, a little bit of sacrifice is needed from the students," Fr D’Souza remarked. Minister of State for Education, Anil Deshmukh, said the government will soon carry out a survey to ascertain how many educational institutions rented out open spaces for public functions during working hours.

The minister also faxed a letter to the commissioner of police this morning, urging the police to step up vigilance. The city’s academia too has expressed concern. Principal of Sir J J Girl’s High School and convenor of A-B ward, H N Pal exclaimed, "This is inhuman. In my 15 years of experience as a conductor of examinations, Ihave never come across such an incident."