Schools can not increase fees sans consent of parents' associations
Schools can not increase fees sans consent of parents' associationsTHE state government has sprung into action to implement the fee hike policy formulated a month ago. Last month on July 15, a government resolution (GR) had been passed against random fee hikes by schools, effective from August 15.
Speaking to MiD DAY, Sunil Magar deputy director of education (Pune) said that instructions were being put up on the official website warning schools against non-compliance. "According to the GR no school management can hike fees without the permission of the parents' associations. Also, the schools will have to put up their balancesheet on a website. If excess fee is charged, we will ask for a rollback," he said.
Besides, uploading the GR on its website, the education board will also be putting up instructions for schools on how to calculate their revised fees and what expenses could be included in the same.
Rosary moves court The Rosary school authorities have moved the High Court on this issue. For two months parents of students studying in Rosary school had been protesting against the fee hike. Finally, when they resorted to a hunger strike, the education department intervened and reduced the fees to nearly half of which was proposed by the school authorities.
Parents allege the school later backtracked on its promise.u00a0 "They continued to take the hiked fees from us despite agreeing to reduce it. Even the education board stopped listening to us," said a parent.
School authorities refused to elaborate stating that the matter was sub-judice.
"There are so many GR's by the government and each so different from the other that there is no clarity. We have moved court so that we are allowed to hike fees," said C Balan, administrator of Rosary School.
Parents scepticalParent organisations are sceptical about the implementation of the GR. Jayant Jain, president, Forum for Fairness in Education said, "What is the use of this GR? The school management will approach the HC. It's been a month since the GR came out but over 90% of schools are yet to create websites."
