Nothing wrong in setting up English-medium schools in the state: AMU

Aligarh (UP): Aligarh Muslim University today said that there is nothing illegal in the proposal to establish English-medium schools in different districts of Uttar Pradesh under the AMU Act.

The trust, which would manage these schools "would be under control of the University through the Centre for Promotion of Education and Cultural Advancement of Muslims of India, which was established under Section 5(2)(c) of the AMU Amendment Act 1981," an AMU release issued here said.

A decision to this effect was ratified in the Executive Council (EC) meeting on Saturday, it said.

"No university land, assets and funds will be handed over to the trust," AMU spokesman Rahat Abrar said, adding the funding of these schools will be through donations.

The Executive Council also decided to establish a six-member committee to draft the trust deed, charter and objectives, Abrar said, adding the trust would operate strictly under the regulations recommended by the committee.

The spokesman said the AMU vice chancellor would be the ex-officio president of the trust. The Vice Chancellor Lt Gen Zameer Uddin Shah would no longer be its chief after he demits office on May 16, 2017.

Last Saturday, the Aligarh Muslim University Teachers Association (AMUTA) had opposed the proposal of the university to transfer some assets to a private trust for setting up schools in different UP districts.

The teachers' body had stated "the ongoing move of the university to provide funds and land to the Sir Syed Educational Foundation violates the statutes of the AMU and was illegal".

In July last year, AMU had decided to set up English-medium schools in all districts of Uttar Pradesh by 2017.