KCPS urged the education minister and the state government to form a high-level committee to review and simplify the regulations. It also sought a separate framework for standalone preschools instead of applying rules meant for institutions covering kindergarten to Class 12.Karnataka preschool rules put 25,000 centres and 4.5 lakh jobs at risk (File photo used for representation only) The Karnataka Council of Preschools (KCPS) has urged the state government to review regulations for standalone preschools, warning that the rules could threaten more than 25,000 centres across Karnataka and the livelihoods of about 4.5 lakh women, news agency PTI reported.The council said the requirements were difficult for small, neighbourhood preschools to meet and could also affect working mothers who depend on affordable childcare facilities close to their homes.In an appeal to the state government on Wednesday, KCPS said administrative directives, including a circular and detailed instructions issued in 2019, had imposed conditions more suited to large educational institutions.According to a council press release cited by PTI, the main challenges include the requirement of a 30-year registered lease for rented residential premises, classrooms measuring 18 feet by 20 feet, conversion of land for educational use and a minimum area of 2,000 square feet.

KCPS said these conditions did not take into account the operational realities of smaller early childhood care and education centres functioning in residential neighbourhoods.The council also raised concerns about the preschool registration portal, alleging that it was not accessible to the public and could be accessed only through the offices of Block Education Officers. KCPS claimed that the closure of standalone preschools could cost about 4.5 lakh women their livelihoods, including teachers, caretakers and support staff.

It said the closure of neighbourhood childcare centres could also force some working mothers to reconsider their employment.The council said the closure of smaller preschools could reduce competition and push up fees, making early childhood education less affordable for middle-class families. It claimed that fees could rise up to fivefold if standalone centres were forced to close.KCPS urged the education minister and the state government to form a high-level committee to review and simplify the regulations.

It also sought a separate framework for standalone preschools instead of applying rules meant for institutions covering kindergarten to Class 12.The council called for an immediate stay on the existing building, lease and land-conversion requirements until an appropriate regulatory framework is introduced. It also asked the government to restore public access to a functional and transparent online registration portal.“We are here to save the future of our children, the dignity of our women workers, and the pockets of our parents.

The government must choose—progress or extinction,” the council said, according to PTI.In its appeal, KCPS asked the Karnataka government to ease the existing rules and introduce a separate regulatory system to protect standalone preschools, their employees and families dependent on neighbourhood childcare services.- Ends