Private schools ignore govt’s directive, announce 15% hike in fee
Srinagar: There seems to be no end to the miseries of the parents whose kids are enrolled in the private schools of valley, particularly city schools.
Despite the government orders to enhance the fee by only six percent, the private schools have given a hike in their monthly tuition fee and transport charges by more than 15 percent.
The arbitrary hike in the school fee has raised question over the implementation of the regulations set by the department for these private schools. Questions have been raised on the working of government School Fee Fixation Committee (SFFC) constituted to regulate the fee structure of the private schools.
“The committee has apparently failed to control the hike in fee of private schools. Hundreds of complaints are registered in the committee but nothing happens on ground,” said a Muhammad Iqbal, a parent.
Notably, complaints have been lodged against Green Valley Educational Institution (GVEI) Buchpora, Minto Circle School and other educational institutions for giving arbitrary hike in the fee structure of the school.
“The schools were allowed to hike fee by six percent but GVEI has given a hike of more than 30 percent in some classes in violation of rules,” the parents said.
The parents of the students enrolled in Minto Circle School Srinagar also complained that the school management has given an arbitrary hike in the monthly tuition fee of the students.
A group of aggrieved parents said the school was putting extra burden on them by enhancing the fee arbitrarily, in violation of the terms and conditions set by the school fee fixation committee (SFFC).
Parents said the school management never consult the parents before taking decision about fee hike or at the time of framing such policy decisions.
“These private schools are minting money from us in the name of providing education. The management fleeces us openly with no control from the administration,” a group of aggrieved parents said.
The parents appealed the authorities in school education department to intervene into the matter and put a check on the arbitrary hike in fee by the school managements.
A school functionary at Minto Circle School said the majority of the parents have no grievances against the school management regarding the fee structure or decision making but a particular group of parents always make a hue and cry over petty issues.
“It is a group of parents who make issues over everything and we provide them some concession in fee to avoid any confrontation and they also stop making hue and cry over it,” a school official said.
He said the issue is lingering in the office of School Fee Fixation Committee (SSFC) for past months.
“We have submitted our report to the committee and also deputed our officials to respond to the committee,” the school official said.
An official at SFFC said the cases against the arbitrary hike by schools are reviewed by the committee and appropriate action will be taken against the institutions violating set norms.
