To stop the arbitrariness of private schools in Jharkhand, Jharkhand Parents Association President Ajay Rai has written a letter to Chief Minister Hemant Soren. Many demands have been made in this letter. In this letter, action has been asked to be taken regarding fee hike. Apart from this, Jharkhand Education Tribunal Amendment Act 2017 should be fully implemented in all private schools.
Jharkhand News: In the government guidelines issued three years ago, it was said that private schools cannot increase the fee by more than 10 percent without approval. A fee fixation committee was also formed in every school for this and in the first phase, the committee was formed in Ranchi and Bokaro district.
The current situation is that till now, except for these two districts, the committee has not been formed in the remaining 22 districts. Private school management takes full advantage of administrative laxity. There are many private schools in the city where arbitrariness is being done regarding fee hike.
The fee is being increased by citing admission fee and other activities. As per government rules, private schools can increase the fee only by 10 percent. Whereas in many schools this amount has been increased from 10 to 20 percent.
This fee is being charged by showing annual charge, building charge, miscellaneous charge, computer charge, games charge, security charge, CCTV charge, school charge, SMS charge, medical charge, outreach charge and development charge.
Jharkhand Parents Association wrote a letter to the Chief Minister
Regarding this, Jharkhand Parents Association President Ajay Rai said that in the letter sent to the Chief Minister, it was told that due to the non-reinstatement of the Chairman Member of the Commission in Jharkhand Education Tribunal for years, the parents are facing a lot of problems.
Along with the demand for its formation, there was also a demand to fully implement the Jharkhand Education Amendment Act 2017 in private schools of all the districts of the state. If the fee is being increased, then its recommendation will be made to the District Committee. Whose chairman is the Deputy Commissioner of the concerned district. Even after this, private schools in the capital are flouting the Act by increasing the fee arbitrarily.
Schools are charging 12 months’ fare instead of 10 months. Not only this, many schools charge 12 months’ bus fare instead of 10 months. While no money is to be taken from students during summer and winter vacations. The rule is that students can be charged only as long as bus service is available. Those providing 10 months’ service will not be charged for 12 months. If sources are to be believed, there are more than 100 such private schools in Ranchi district where bus service is being taken.
Attention drawn to these demands against exploitation of parents
The Jharkhand Education Tribunal Amendment Act 2017 should be fully implemented in all private schools
The No Objection Certificate (NOC) issued by the Jharkhand government should be fully followed, under which the school should provide the balance sheet (every year’s accounts issued by the CA) of no profit no loss to the government every year
No school should deprive children from classes due to tuition fees
A resolution should be issued to return the amount collected from the students of the current and previous sessions in the current session, while instructing to stop taking re-admission, development charge, annual fee from the students of their own school in the next class or any class
The school should ensure to upload the guidelines prescribed by CBSE, ICSE, State Board on its website.
Increasing arbitrariness of school management
Some parents, on the condition of anonymity, said that they have to bear the increased price of books and the increase in fees every year. Due to the arbitrariness of the school management, our problems have increased. There is a commission game going on even for buying books. Books have to be bought from the shops decided by them only.
Instead of NCERT, books of private publications are being used. The price of which is much higher. On the other hand, if a child is late in coming to school for even a day or two, the school management leaves no stone unturned in collecting the fine. The district administration and the education department should pay attention to these things.
