Parents, activists say Rosary school's circular on fee hike goes against government instructions and law
Parents, activists say Rosary school's circular on fee hike goes against government instructions and law
A Fee-Hike circular issued by the Aranhas' Rosary School in Camp has raised a howl of protests from parents as it violates a state government resolution (GR) issued less than a month ago.
According to the circular, the school management intends to hike the monthly fees by Rs 200 in the academic year 2010-2011. It also plans to levy additional quarterly fees of Rs 300 for infrastructure development.
The current monthly fees is Rs 950.
Court order awaited
Parents and even NGOs are crying foul as the GR issued on March 4 (a copy of which is with MiD DAY) states that no private unaided school shall increase its fees until the next direction from the Bombay High Court comes.
The HC is currently hearing a case on fee hike in schools.
The GR also states that schools which do not follow the norms may face action from the School Education Department.
A parent of a child who studies in Rosary said, "We were merely informed via a circular and there was no discussion on this. How can they hike fees when the government doesn't allow it?"
Jayant Jain, president of Forum for Fairness in Education, said the "school management could be arrested" for this.
Violation of rules
"Firstly, they have violated rules by bringing out this circular. Even if fees is to be collected from June, the GR clearly states that until the next court hearing, which is in May, no school shall take any decision on fee hike. They will follow the fee structure of 2008-2009. Secondly, under the Capitation Fee Act, the school management can face a police case for asking fees for infrastructure development as it is illegal," said Jain.
Sunil Magar, deputy director (education), Pune region, confirmed that private schools are not supposed
to increase their fees without prior permission.
"The school has not applied to us for hiking fees and they are not authorised to do it on their own. So far, we
have not received a written complaint from anyone against them, but if we do, we can investigate and take action," he said.
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